Wild
by thepotterheadfrommiddleearth
Summary: A camping trip gone awry... what happens when Clary, Jace, Simon, Izzy, Alec and Magnus are lost in the woods? It takes place soon after CoHF, except Simon is a mundane with all his memories. Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.
1. Rocky Beginnings

Clary had never quite seen the point in camping. Why would people voluntarily spend time out in the wilderness, without so much as a solid wall to protect them, purely for fleeting enjoyment? Unfortunately, her (rather fervidly voiced) opinions were no match for Jocelyn's sheer determination, and alas, she found herself on the road.

"It'll be good for you," her mother had said.

Clary couldn't see how spending a week in the woods was going to improve her in any way. In fact, she had pointed out, what would _really_ be good for her was a therapeutic massage, however, Jocelyn's stern scowl had shut down that argument fairly quickly.

 _It's easy enough for her to think that the trip will turn out well_ , Clary thought bitterly, _she doesn't have to share a car with this lot._

Coincidentally, the largest car anyone coming on the trip owned was a six-seater, and so Jocelyn and Luke had volunteered themselves to drive separately. This left Clary stuck in a car with Jace, Isabelle, Simon, Alec, and Magnus.

Fun.

"Magnus, can we listen to something else?" Simon asked from the back seat. Magnus just sighed, and turned the blaring Lady Gaga music up louder.

"You're pathetic, Magnus."

"Sorry, Seamus, I can't hear you over the sound of real music. Not that you'd know what that sounded like, of course," Magnus said with a smirk on his face.

Clary rolled her eyes and looked out the window. The sky was a bleak grey, and the trees that lined the road were whipping about in the wind. A few stray drops of rain trickled their way down the car window. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the foundations of a headache when she was elbowed sharply.

"Sorry, Clary," Alec said gruffly, as he readjusted his seatbelt. He murmured another apology to Jace, who was sitting on the other side of him, and who had also just received an elbow to the stomach.

"Alec, you're way too tall to be sitting back here," Jace said, shuffling around to accommodate for Alec's discomfort.

"Yeah - if only I had been able to sit in the front," Alec commented, with a sharp glare in Isabelle's direction. She smiled back from her comfortable place up front, next to Magnus, who was driving.

"Hey - I called it first," she said teasingly.

"Oh yeah? Well, I call it first for the way back. Ha," Alec said with a nod as he finally settled down, happy with his position.

Isabelle laughed as she twirled a lock of black hair around her finger. "Sorry, but Simon beat you to it."

Alec turned his head as far back as he could to see Simon, who was sitting in the very back with a sheepish grin. "Seriously? I don't want to have to sit back here again. There's, like, no room."

"There's 'like, no room' in this entire car," Clary said, shifting uncomfortably. "Why couldn't we just portal here?"

Magnus shook his head with a knowing smile on his face. "Uh-uh, biscuit, you remember exactly what your mother said. We're having a mundane weekend. It'll be - "

"Good for us," Simon, Alec, Jace and Isabelle finished in unison. They had all received the same lecture a few too many times.

Clary sighed. "You know, Magnus, that we won't have decent showers, right? Or decent food?"

"You think I can't survive with only a public shower and our meagre little rations? Come on. Biscuit, I've been alive for so long, I predate showers."

"Meagre little rations? Excuse me, Mr Extravagant, but I put lots of time and effort into choosing what to bring. I spent three whole hours trawling Pinterest to find something interesting just to appease you," Isabelle said with a scowl.

Simon groaned. "Oh God. Pinterest? Izzy, we all know that there's only one thing more deceptive than a glamour, and that's Pinterest recipes."

"Plus," Jace remarked, "most Pinterest recipes require a certain degree of skill in the kitchen."

"So help me, Jace Wayland," Isabelle snapped, "I will flatten you."

"What the -"

He didn't get to finish, because Izzy had adjusted her chair and leant the back downwards, slowly squashing Jace.

"Children. Play nice," Magnus said reproachfully, pushing Izzy's chair back to where it should have been. "We're not going to last a day, let alone a week, if you can't suck it up and get along."

The rain grew heavier, pattering down on the car.

An awkward silence descended upon them, before Simon suggested, "why don't we sing a song or something?"

"Oh look! We're here!" Magnus announced with joy, cutting Simon off from any further musical advances. He turned off the main road and into the woods, onto a dirt road.

"Are you sure? I didn't see a sign…" Alec said, frowning. Clary hated to admit it, but she agreed with him. She wasn't entirely sure that Magnus knew where he was going either.

"Don't worry hon, I'm at least 80 percent sure this is the right place."

Jace raised an eyebrow. "You've been here before?"

"Well, no, but - "

"You saw a sign? Some sort of indication that this is the camping ground we want?"

"Look, blondie, don't question my authority, okay?"

Simon laughed dryly. "You have no idea where we are, do you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were driving, Sheldon," Magnus remarked.

"You know damn well my name is Simon," Simon said, unenthused.

"What was that, Sid? I couldn't hear you from all the way back there, because you're in the back, and I'm in the front because _I'm_ driving."

"Magnus," Alec said quietly in a warning tone.

"What?" Magnus raised his eyebrows and looked at Alec through the mirror, winking slightly.

"Magnus stop!"

Izzy's cry came too late - the front wheels of the car had already driven over the edge of the small precipice that abruptly ended the road.

"Holy -"

Jace was cut off by Magnus driving as hard in reverse as he could. The car slowly tipped forward, and despite all of Magnus's efforts, it wasn't reversing.

"Shit, Magnus, you've got to use magic," Izzy said, her eyes wide with fear as she stared at the ground below them.

"But Jocelyn - "

"Screw Jocelyn!" yelled Simon, before adding a small "no offence, Clary" under his breath.

"Fine!"

With that, Magnus began to wave his fingers, blue sparks erupting out of nowhere, but before he could do anything -

"Holy shit!"

The car lurched forward, the dirt beneath its back wheels turned to mud in the rain, and Magnus was slammed forward, hitting his head on the steering wheel.

"Magnus!" Izzy yelled, to no avail. He was out cold.

"We have to get out of this bloody car," Jace said, opening the door and stumbling out. He helped Alec out, who clambered around to get the boot and let Simon out. Jace grabbed Clary, who had gathered a few bags in her arms. Simon practically fell out of the back, holding the rest of their supplies. Izzy had climbed into the back of the car and was trying to drag Magnus with her.

"Get out, Iz, I'll do it," Alec said, but she shook her head.

"Iz!"

She groaned at the effort but got Magnus out of his seat. The shift in weight inside the car made it slip further down the muddy hill.

Alec screamed, and grabbed the side of the car, holding on as tight as he could. Jace got hold of the other side, blinking profusely in the increasingly heavy rain. Clary reached into the car, seizing Magnus' arm and helping Isabelle pull him out. Izzy stumbled out onto the mud, holding Magnus' other arm, and Simon swiftly took it from her. She picked up Magnus' torso, and, with all her strength, pulled him over the back seat and out of the car.

Now that there was far less weight in the back of the car, it tipped forward precariously.

"Get back!" Simon yelled at Jace and Alec, who both struggled up the muddy rocks as the car finally crashed down the drop.

There they stood, all breathing deeply, shoulders heaving with the effort, as the rain pummelled down. The smoke from the crashed car rose up in a thick, grey column, blending in with the darkening sky. A clap of thunder echoed through the forest, and from their position on the side of the cliff, they could see darker clouds rolling in.

"Where do you reckon the camping grounds are?" Jace asked.

Alec shrugged. "They must be on the other side of the mountain. I can't see them from here."

It was true - all the group could see was a forest sprawled out in front of them, dark and uninviting.

"What do we do then?" Simon asked.

"We can't travel in this weather. We'll only get more lost."

"Plus - we don't want to hurt Magnus," Isabelle added, holding him in her arms, "or at least any more than he already is."

"So what - we're just going to sit here? In the wild? At night?" Simon asked, slowly growing frantic. "Nobody knows where we are!"

Clary pulled her phone out of her pocket, only to find that there was no reception. Upon seeing this, Simon threw his hands up in the air and rested them on top of his head. "Oh God. We're dead. We're all dead and my last words are probably going to be something pathetic like 'shut up Jace'. That's it. We're all doomed."

"Don't be ridiculous," Izzy said. "We got all of the stuff from the car. We have all of the food I brought - "

"Great. Now not only am I dead, but the autopsy is going to reveal Isabelle's crappy Pinterest attempts in my stomach. Hey - maybe it'll confuse them and go down as a murder case. I can see the headline - 'Jewish kid found dead, full of suspicious looking s'mores attempts' - "

Another peal of thunder interrupted Simon's hysteria.

"Calm down, okay?" Clary said, looking Simon in the eye. "We'll just follow this road back to the main road, and everything will be great."

Simon nodded quickly, though still frowning. "Okay. Okay. We can do this. Let's… um… let's just go back to the main road then. We could get a ride from someone up to the camping ground."

Jace clapped Simon on the shoulder, with a low "alright then," and began walking back up the road they had just come down. Alec shook his head and made to help Izzy carry Magnus.

"I'm fine, Alec," she said, but he insisted.

"Look, Iz, if anyone should be carrying him, it's me, right? I mean… uh… I'm the tallest… and um… you know…"

"If you're not strong enough to say 'he's my boyfriend' out loud then you're not strong enough to carry him," Izzy said with defiance, rearranging her grip and hoisting the High Warlock of Brooklyn over her shoulder.

"Also, height doesn't equal strength," Clary said, picking up the mud-covered bags and tents. "I may be half your height but I could still kick your ass."

"Okay, ginger, look - " Alec begun to respond, but Izzy tripped slightly, Magnus' lanky form slipping off her shoulder. He rushed to her side, trying to take the warlock in his arms.

"Iz, I can do this."

"You don't have to."

"I do, he's too big for you to carry."

"I can do it, Alec."

"It's not a question of whether or not you can do it, okay? You can. Alright? But I don't want you to."

"And why is that?" She asked, trying to shift Magnus' weight back onto her shoulder.

"Just… because, okay? Let me do this."

"Alec, no."

"What is your problem?"

She shook her head, and started off to Alec's right, trying to get away from him but getting dangerously close to the sloped side of the road.

"Iz! Come back, here. Don't be stupid!"

She spun around to say something, but Magnus' weight made her fall slightly off-centre, and she slipped on the mud.

"Izzy!" Simon yelled and lunged for her, knocking Clary over, but it was too late. She and Magnus fell and tumbled down the sloped side of the road.

"What the hell?" Jace asked, running back to them. "What just happened?"

Nobody answered, however, before Alec ran straight towards where Izzy had fallen, jumping off the road and into the forest's depths.

Jace stopped in his tracks, shock spelt out on his face.

"Jace! Don't you dare go after him," Clary said, getting up off the ground. "It's too dangerous."

He turned to look at her, and she knew he was going to disobey her instruction before he spoke. Of course.  
"He's my parabatai, Clary."

"Don't."

But he did.

He ran, full pelt, at the side of the road and hurled himself off the edge.

"Clary, we're not going down there too."

She turned to Simon. "I've got the tents, and the food. There's no way they'll last without them. We have to go."

"But… we can't go down there. It's too steep - we won't be able to get back up to the road."

"Maybe not in this rain, but once it clears up, we'll just climb up. It'll be fine. Trust me," she said, walking towards the edge with most of the gear gathered in one hand. Simon picked up the rest and followed in uncertainty.

"Of course I trust you, Clary. I always have, and I always will. But I don't think it's okay to abuse that unconditional - "

But he didn't get to finish his sentence, because Clary had grabbed his hand and jumped.

* * *

"Well, that was a great idea, wasn't it?"

"Not now, asshole," Jace said, stretching out his back with a grimace on his face. The slope they had tumbled down wasn't nearly as perilous as the one the car dropped down, so they had not reached the same demise, but the tumble had still left its mark on the weary travellers.

Izzy was sitting a few metres away, nursing a sprained ankle silently. Her hair was matted with mud, but the persistent rain was washing it out. It trickled down her back, and down her face, blending with the trails left behind by mascara that had long since been washed away. Magnus had been left spread-eagled on a rock, next to her, still unconscious. Alec was standing, leaning against a tree. He refused to admit that the fall had hurt. His shoulder, in particular, was sore from where he had landed. Ignoring its throbbing, he watched Izzy carefully, as she looked away from him. He didn't know why she thought him incapable of helping with Magnus; if anything, he thought she should have been thankful for him leaping down after her.

Jace was watching Alec watching Izzy. He could read his parabatai like a book. Later, he resolved, he would subtly ask her why she was annoyed at Alec. It was how he had grown up - the Lightwoods would feud over something petty and he'd have to be the intermediary. He dismissed this argument as something that he'd be able to fix with some gentle, Jace-style therapy.

His thoughts then wandered to Clary. She'd been the most reluctant of them all to go on this trip, and yet she was used to the mundane way of life. There should have been nothing at all to intimidate her. And yet there she was, a frown on her face as she rifled through the bags, checking everything was in its necessary place.

Clary was indeed concerned, but not about their possessions. Her thoughts lay with Simon. She was worried about how he was coping. She had known him for forever, and she was used to his paranoia, but she had seen real fear in his eyes. There was no way she was letting him die in the woods, that much was certain, but this wasn't exactly demon warfare. That, she could handle. This was survival in the wilderness, with a group of warriors who were ignorant to the mundane world, a timid cynic, and an unconscious warlock. She was never one to turn down a challenge, but this was pushing the limits. Still, she checked their inventory pedantically, ensuring everything they needed was there, because God knew they couldn't afford another mishap.

Simon cleaned his glasses. They'd become muddied by the fall, and there was no way he was going to die blind. He didn't have anything to clean them with, so his wet shirt had to do. Eventually, he stood up, murky glasses on, and made to set up tents.

"What are you doing?" asked Alec.

"We have to sleep somewhere, right?"

Clary looked up; the sky was now a dark, charcoal grey. It was indeed time to sleep.

"We can't set up tents. It's too wet," Jace said, flicking his wet hair out of his face.

"Huh. Usually, rain means tents are a very good idea," muttered Simon as he fumbled with the packaging.

Alec sighed and took it off Simon. "He means that if we set them up now, they'll fill with water that we'll never be able to get out. Trust us."

Alec gave no valid support as to why he should be trusted, but his raised eyebrows and Jace's smug expression were enough to sit Simon down.

"What do we do then?" Clary asked, sensing Simon's discomfort.

"We wait it out," Isabelle answered, her lips pressed together. "We'll sleep underneath trees, which should be good enough for protection."

"What about wild animals?" Simon asked.

"We'll use glamours," Izzy said, standing tentatively on her weak ankle.

"And Magnus?" Alec asked, leaning against the tree again, challenging her.

She smiled grimly. "We'll put him in a tree and hope for the best."

When he scoffed, she asked if he could think of anything better.

Evidently, he could not, because within the next half hour, once the sky had fully blackened, the group were huddled underneath a large tree, Magnus secured with rope to one of the thickest branches. Alec had protested to begin with, but then Izzy had reminded him that being tied to a tree was better than the shitstorm that runing him with a glamour would unleash. Alec had settled with giving him the comfiest bag to place beneath his head and insisted that he be the one to tie the ropes.

None of them were in pyjamas, or had made any change to prepare themselves for sleep; they simply lay down, using the watertight bundles of clothing, sleeping bags and tents for pillows, and wished each other a good night.

 _How strange,_ Clary thought to herself as sleep begun to overcome her, _that now, of all circumstances, we think a good night is achievable._


	2. Good Morning

"What the - "

Clary woke to the startled yelp, followed by the soft thud, of Magnus Bane. She groggily opened her eyes and began to sit up, when she was swiftly reminded of last night's fall. Her body ached all over, and she felt stiff, cold and wet.

Magnus had fallen out of the tree that he had been tied in and landed in a puddle. He got up, groaning with the same pain Clary felt. He was as undignified as she had ever seen him, and yet he still maintained an air of authority. His recently purple-tinged hair was matted and wet, and his eyeliner was smudged from the rain. His clothes, a dark grey button-up shirt and silver jeans paired with a leather jacket, were dirtied from his night in the tree. He stooped to pick up the bag he had used as a pillow from the mud. There was something regal about him, Clary thought, as he ran a hand through his knotted hair. He still seemed shaken, and not entirely alright, but at least he was standing. He frowned in confusion as he examined his surroundings, putting together the pieces of what had happened.

"Hey."

His attention snapped to her. She managed a small smile. "Good morning, sunshine."

"Clarissa? What the hell happened? Why was I in a tree? And why do I feel like I've been attacked by a pack of werewolves?"

She shrugged, not entirely sure of last night's events herself. "The road you took ended in a cliff. Do you remember that? It was really wet so the car slipped and you hit your head and… um… ended up unconscious. And then we kinda… fell off the road. And now we're here."

"The tree?"

"We didn't want animals to get to you. We're all glamoured."

"Let me get this straight - I was knocked out, thrown down a hill, _and_ tied to a tree all in one night?"

"Yep."

Magnus began to reply, but he was interrupted by Jace waking up.

"Oh good. You're alive."

Magnus looked appalled. "No thanks to you! Let me guess. It was your recklessness that ended up with us all down here."

Jace blinked blearily. "What? No. Didn't Clary tell you? Isabelle tripped carrying you and we followed her down here. If anything, it's your fault."

Magnus' gaze shifted to Clary. She nodded - she had no idea why she had omitted that. It was almost as if she hadn't wanted Magnus to know that Izzy had fallen first. There was something in her that felt like she was betraying her friend.

"And besides," Jace continued, picking up momentum as he became more awake, "it was you who took a wrong turn onto this dodgy road, and _you_ who got distracted and didn't notice that the road had ended! _Really_ , it's your fault!"

"Let's not get too overexcited, okay blondie? It could have happened to anyone." Magnus took off his jacket and wrung it out. "Well, serves me for wearing leather on a camping trip."

* * *

Clary found herself staring at Jace. He had a few cuts from the fall, though she assumed they all did, and a magnificent purple bruise spanning the left side of his face.

"Is anyone else awake?" Clary asked, looking around.

Jace stood up, moaning as he did so. From the sounds of it, nobody was going to be going anywhere anytime soon - the fall had taken its toll on all of them. He inspected the others, and, upon seeing Isabelle shift slightly, kicked her.

"Jace," Clary scolded, standing up as well.

"Nah, she's used to it. Izzy. Get up. Izzy. Izzy. Iz. Iz. Iz."

"Shut up," Isabelle said, rolling onto her back and glaring at him. She still looked stunning, despite the mud and grime. "I'm awake."

She yawned, stretching her arms. "Magnus! You're alive!"

"Why does that surprise you people? It'd take more than a bump to kill me," Magnus muttered, walking around slowly as he scouted their surroundings. "So we have no idea where we are?"

"Well, that slope-y thing over there is where we fell down," Jace said, pointing in that direction. "We just need to get back onto the road, then onto the highway, then maybe ask someone for directions."

"And how do you propose we get up there, Tarzan? Are you just going to scale the steep rock slope, or do you suggest we fly?"

"I was hoping you would help a little, seeing as you _are_ magic and all," Jace snapped, helping Isabelle up onto her good ankle.

Magnus shook his head. "I hate to tell you this, but I'm not up to performing magic."

"Oh come on. You're alive. You said so yourself. You can do magic."

"It's not as simple as that. I'm not… well. I can't just perform complex magic with the snap of a finger, especially not when I'm ill."

"But you can walk," Isabelle commented, wiping her eyes blearily. "If you're well enough to walk, you should be able to get at least one of us up to the road."

"Right, because putting feet in front of each other is the same as harnessing demonic magic," Magnus grumbled, sitting down on the root of the tree. "I need coffee."

"I can get you an apple," Isabelle said, heading over to the bags. "Or a marshmallow."

"Are you sure you don't have anything caffeinated?"

"Nope."

"Alcoholic, then?"

She tossed him an apple.

* * *

They waited, making small talk and trying to occupy themselves whilst Simon and Alec slept. When Simon woke up, the first thing he did was flip Magnus off, "for getting us in this situation."

"I'm under-appreciated," he replied with a scowl. "Why is the only person who is not prepared to stab me still asleep?"

They turned to look at Alec. "Oh shit. He looks awful."

It was true - there were circles under his eyes, dark and purple, and his skin was sallow. He was at an unusual angle, with his arms crossed tightly. His head rested on a root, not a cushiony bag, almost directly under the branch Magnus had been sleeping on.

As they stared, Alec's eyes fluttered open. They were bloodshot.

"Why are you guys staring at me like that?"

"Good morning, princess," Jace said, as he went through their bags. "Looks like you didn't get much beauty sleep."

"Oh… I was, um… I had trouble sleeping. That's all," he replied, sitting up.

Magnus' warm smile slowly turned into a smirk. "Hey, Alec - is that a seraph blade in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

Alec smiled unenthusiastically. "Hate to disappoint you, but it's the former."

The grin dropped from Magnus' face. "Really?"

Alec pulled the blade from his pocket. "Yup."

"Why did you bring a seraph blade on a strictly mundane camping trip?" Simon asked.

"Just in case," answered Alec, as he stood up and brushed the dirt from his clothes. "By the Angel, we all look shit, don't we?"

"Speak for yourself," Jace replied, standing up with a bottle of water in his hand. "I look fantastic. I think the rugged vibes really suit me."

Alec nodded. "And the purple of that bruise really brings out your eyes."

"What bruise?" Jace asked, putting his free hand up to his face. "Why did no one tell me I had a bruise on my face?"

Simon shrugged. "We thought it'd be funnier to let you suffer through the week with a hideous purple blotch on your face. It'd give the rest of us a chance to be the best looking."

"I'm surprised you can see at all out of those things," Jace said, motioning towards Simon's blurred glasses. "Or do you like not being able to see? I suppose it would make it easier walking past mirrors - or at least, it would in your case."

"I know I said it before, but we really have to get along, okay? Because we will literally die alone in the wilderness if we do not," Magnus said, "therefore, I will personally kill and eat anyone who causes a fight. Okay?"

Alec winced. "I'd hold off on resorting to cannibalistic vigilantism. You'd probably wind up alone by the end of tomorrow."

"Come on, Alexander, you have to agree with me - petty bickering will get us nowhere."

"If we're good at anything, Magnus, it's at going nowhere."

"Alright," Clary said, clapping her hands together, "I'll be the mature one then. I'm taking charge. No complaints."

"Biscuit, you're half my height and a fraction of my age. Let me handle this," Magnus said.

Clary shook her head and handed him a tent in its bag. "Sorry - you had your chance, and you did nothing. Besides, if I recall correctly, you're indisposed at this point in time. So make yourself useful by helping set up tents."

"What? You're not suggesting we sleep here _again?"_ Simon's concerned expression deepened.

And once again, she saw it - the plain fear in his eyes. She remembered telling him to trust her that they'd be able to get back onto the road, but looking at the steep slope, she doubted it. It was only twenty metres high, but it was still enough to intimidate even the most fearless amongst them.

"We have to, Simon. We'll keep looking for a way to find help, but for now, we set up camp, okay? I mean - I think we have a pretty good spot here. We're on the edge of the forest, so there'll be fewer animals, we're close to the road, so if people come looking, we can hear them, and we're protected from rain."

"What about water? Food?"

"We have food," Isabelle said.

"Edible food?"

"Quit it," she said, barely concealing her smile, "or else you'll be the next thing on the menu."

"Why does everyone keep threatening to kill each other?" Clary asked. "We've only been here for a night. What is this, _Lord of the Flies_?"

Simon gulped. "I hope not. I'm not going down the same path as that Simon."

* * *

"How the hell do you do this?" Magnus asked, struggling with the tent. "Are you _sure_ this isn't magical?"

"I am at least 80 percent sure, my friend," Clary said, smiling smugly as she watched him struggle. He shot her a dirty look.

The group waited a little longer, almost enjoying seeing Magnus struggle with such a simple task, before Isabelle said, "I'll do it," and took it off him.

As she began assembling the poles, Alec watched her closely. The grogginess of lost sleep had not yet worn off, but his blue eyes followed her every move intently. The conversation they had had yesterday, before they had fallen, echoed around his mind.

 _"Iz, I can do this."_

 _"You don't have to."_

 _"I do, he's too big for you to carry."_

 _"I can do it, Alec."_

There was something there, lying beneath her refusal. He knew she was capable of many things, in fact, most things, but he still liked to ask how he could help. She knew that. Usually, she respected his offers enough to at least dignify him with an alternate use for his enthusiasm. But she had just straight-out refused to let him help. Did she think he was undermining her ability? He shook his head, trying to reject the idea, but also to clear his sleep-blurred vision. He was too tired to be worrying so much.

Izzy knew very well that Alec was watching her. She tried to be subtle about the way that her ankle was screaming with pain. The poles she held clicked together, and she began to assemble the tent itself, moving to thread the pole through the material. Hidden amongst the material, however, was a tree root that she wasn't aware of, and when she went to pick up a corner of the tent -

"Ah!"

"Iz!"

Alec stood up just as quickly as Isabelle fell down. The others, who had since preoccupied themselves with other duties, turned to see what had just happened.

"Are you okay, Iz?" Simon yelled from where the bags were.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she said, waving away Alec's helping hand and standing back up. She ignored the ache of her freshly tormented ankle. Her eyes met her brother's, and she recognised his disapproving gaze instantly. "I'm fine. I swear."

"Your ankle is still sore. You should rest it."

"I just tripped on a root. It's no big deal."

"You 'just tripped'? You fell to the ground, Iz. That's the same ankle you hurt yesterday, isn't it? You could do some serious damage if you keep walking on it."

'I said it's no big deal."

And with that, she turned around, wincing as soon as her back was to him, and continued setting up the tent.

"If you're going to be so stubborn, at least let me help you with this, then," Alec said, picking up the opposite side of the tent and helping her set it up. In silence, they finished the job.

Clary had already set up another (albeit smaller) tent, so there was one left.

"I'll do it," Simon volunteered, looking at Isabelle as he did so.

"It's Instant, Simon, you don't have to do much. Just take off the ties," said Clary, throwing it to him. Simon looked somewhat disappointed, but opened it anyway, flinching only slightly when it automatically expanded to full size.

"Right. Sleeping arrangements. Who's with who?"

The plan had been for Jocelyn and Luke to share a smaller tent, and for Clary and Isabelle, the two girls, to share the other small one. The others could all fit within the largest tent. Now, however, there only needed to be two people per tent.

"We'll still share a tent," Izzy said, nodding at Clary.

"Alexander and I shall also sleep together," Magnus said triumphantly.

"He means sleep next to each other," Alec clarified.

"We'll see."

"Wait," Jace said, "I'm not sharing a tent with Little Miss Petrified over here."

"Little Miss?" Simon asked.

"You have to, Jace. Sorry. You can get the big tent if you want," Clary said with an apologetic shrug.

"Come on, Clary, this can only end badly," Jace said, lowering his voice and casting a worried, cursory glance at Simon, who was sitting on the floor, apple in hand, looking indignant.

Clary shook her head. "Sorry, Jace. You'll just have to soldier through it. I don't know how, considering how awful it will be, but you've battled demons. How hard can rooming with Simon be?"

"Hey!"  
"Don't worry, I'm just joking," she laughed. "Get your bags, get in your tent, and get comfortable. Then, we'll make breakfast."

"You know what, Clarissa? I'll handle breakfast. I should be able to make something out of whatever we have here," Magnus said as he examined the contents of the bags.

Alec smiled and gave him thumbs up as he headed into their tent. "Thanks mate."

"I could cook," Isabelle offered, but Clary shook her head fervently.

"You need to rest, Iz. You'll never make it up that slope with only one functioning ankle."

"I'm not completely invalid, you know that, right? I can still do things," Isabelle said, slight agitation clear in her voice. "I'm not just going to sit and let you guys do everything for me."

"Of course not," Clary said, "but we're not going to let you do any more damage."

* * *

The morning passed in a haze of preparation. Clary had decided upon finding water, and Jace had insisted on accompanying her. He claimed it was because he didn't want her to get lost, but she knew that, in truth, it was because he hadn't adapted as well to the 'rugged' lifestyle as he let on. They'd only been out in the wild for less than twelve hours, and he was already over the dirt and the mud. It had stopped raining, which was good, but it also meant that they were left caked in filth.

"How does your face feel?" Clary asked, unable to stop looking at the hideous purple bruise. Jace put his hands to his face and thought for a second.

"Yep. Just as I thought. It feels as chiselled and handsome as always."

Clary didn't even crack a smile.

"No, it feels fine. I'll just be sleeping on my other side tonight, is all. Hey - speaking of, what the hell? Why am I rooming with Simon?"

Clary rolled her eyes. "He's not as bad as you keep saying he is. I thought he redeemed himself in your eyes."

"It's not just that I think he's being a paranoid twat… it's just that I'd rather share a tent with you."

"Very smooth," Clary said, walking under a branch. Jace had to duck to follow her.

"Seriously, though. If Alec gets to spend this week sleeping with his boyfriend, why can't I?"

"You want to sleep with your boyfriend? Be my guest."

"You know what I meant," Jace puffed as he dodged yet another low branch. Clary wasn't having nearly as much trouble as him.

"Look! Water!"

Jace emerged from the shrubs to see Clary standing knee-deep in a river. It was mostly clear, and Jace could see fish beneath the hazy surface.

"Careful you don't get washed away," he laughed, as he jumped in to join her. The current was quite strong, but it wasn't too deep, so they had no trouble standing. Jace watched Clary, her smile brilliant, as she splashed the cold water on her face. He hadn't noticed how hot the sun was until now. The mud washed away, revealing her pale skin, and her hair regained its vibrant red. He kept watching her, unable to stop, because she was so utterly happy. None of the worry from the previous night lingered; she was in complete bliss. She ventured further in until the water was waist-depth.

"Don't go in too far, Clary - the current will get stronger the further in you get."

"I know how rivers work, Jace."

"I know you do, it's just that I don't want to have to swim after you when you get whisked away by the river. I'm too tired."

"Well, I guess I had better wake you up then."

Jace raised an eyebrow, smirking, but before he could reply -

"Did you just splash me?"  
"Good morning, sunshine! Was that refreshing?"  
He laughed, wiping the water off his face (which _was_ refreshing, though he'd never admit it), and splashed her back. She laughed in delight, splashing him again and again, until his clothes were soaked through. He retaliated until she was equally as drenched. They laughed, stumbling over the uneven riverbed until he had her in his arms. She looked up at him, her green eyes shining, her eyelashes wet. He looked back, not caring about the breeze that he felt now he was soaked. His thoughts were occupied by her.

"You're doing an excellent job as our leader, you know that right?" He murmured, lowering his voice despite the rushing of the river. "Don't let the general lack of enthusiasm put you off."

She smiled gently. "I haven't done much."

"You found water," Jace suggested, pulling her closer.

"Yeah," she replied, her eyes no longer locked with his but on his lips instead. He waited for her to kiss him, but she did nothing. Jace hardly ever felt self-conscious, but right now, he was worried that the purple monstrosity on the side of his face was stopping her. Before he could voice his thoughts, however, Clary leant in and kissed him.

Her mouth was wet, as was her skin, but Jace didn't care. They stood there, Clary up to her thighs in water, Jace up to his knees, embraced and alone and in love. She knew others would begin to worry about where they were, but Isabelle would cover for her. She had winked when Jace had gotten up to follow her.

 _Really,_ Clary reasoned, _this isn't the worst thing we could be doing._

* * *

Magnus hadn't been having a great day. He had woken up tied to a tree and promptly fallen out of it. Whoever had tied the ropes had been too gentle. His leather jacket was ruined, the small ginger one was in charge, and he felt absolutely awful.

His day improved considerably, however, when he walked in on Alec shirtless.

"Making yourself at home, are you?" Magnus smirked, closing the flap of the tent.

Alec smiled in reply. "Thanks for getting me out of sharing a bed with Jace. He kicks in his sleep."

"No problem," Magnus said, about to reply when he saw something on Alec's shoulder.

"What's that?"

Alec glanced at where Magnus was looking but quickly shrugged it off. "Nothing."

"Really, Alexander? I can tell that it's not nothing. It looks worse than blondie's face, and that's saying something."

"It's fine," Alec said, moving to put his shirt back on. His cheeks were slowly turning red.

"Nonsense," replied Magnus, taking the shirt off him and turning him around. Alec winced as Magnus gasped.

The slight tinge of purple that Magnus had seen was just the beginning. Alec's shoulder was a complete mess. There were cuts and grazes all over his shoulder blade, to about halfway down his back. There was dirt and mud mixed in with dried blood, and a hideous red-raw undertone.

"Alexander," Magnus said breathily, still in shock. He had felt little guilt about not being able to do magic before - after all, they were warriors, they could figure out how to climb the slope themselves - but his absence of power stung him as he stared at Alec's wound. He would have given anything, even the chance to get back to where they were meant to be, to heal him.

"So… you can't do anything?"

Magnus shook his head, afraid to meet Alec's gaze. What sort of a warlock was he? He had tried this morning, when nobody was looking, to conjure up something, even if it was just a coffee, to no avail. His magic was as tired as he was.

"That's okay. I can get Jace to do an _iratze."_

"Why didn't you tell him sooner? If you had a stele on you to do runes last night, then surely he could have done it then."

"I didn't need it then."

"So you did this after everyone had fallen asleep?"

"No, I did it in the fall," Alec admitted. Now it was he who was avoiding Magnus' gaze. He didn't want Magnus to think that he had hurt himself to get to him.

"Then why didn't you ask Jace to heal you? Is it a matter of pride? Because I have to say, Isabelle is not handling having a wounded ankle very well, and if this is a Lightwood thing - "

"It's not that, Magnus - don't worry about it."

"You cannot seriously ask me not to care about my boyfriend's mangled shoulder. Tell me."

Alec finally looked at Magnus, and his heart softened seeing his sincere concern. Not may things phased the High Warlock of Brooklyn, and part of him secretly liked that he was one of them.

"It helped me stay awake."

"What?"

"It was kind of uncomfortable sleeping on it, so it kept me awake."

"And this is a good thing because…?"

Alec shrugged. "I know that I didn't tie you to the tree very tightly. It seemed inhumane. I wanted to make sure that if there was something dangerous, you wouldn't have to rely on my knots to keep you safe."

"Alexander… you stayed up all night to keep an eye on me?" Magnus recalled the stele blade, where Alec had slept, how tired he looked.

"But I wasn't very good at it, was I? I fell asleep around when the sun came up. I should have been able to - "

But Alec didn't get to finish his sentence, because Magnus was kissing him.

* * *

"Where is everyone?" Simon asked, stumbling out of his tent. Isabelle couldn't help but smirk at his clumsiness.

"Did you have a good sleep?"

Simon grimaced. "Was it obvious I was asleep? For how long?"

Izzy waved his concern away. "Only about twenty minutes."

"How could you tell?"

"Your hair."

His hands went immediately to his head, trying to smooth it down. "Do you have a mirror on you?"

"No, sorry. If only. I reckon Jace has found one, though - he's been gone for half an hour, and his reflection is the only thing that can keep him interested for that long."

Simon shrugged. "That, and Clary."

A smile crept onto Isabelle's face as she continued what she was doing - sharpening a stick with a pocket knife Luke had insisted on packing.

"Wait - he's been gone for half an hour? He left with Clary, didn't he?" Simon stretched his arms and yawned as he walked over to where she was sitting.

"Maybe," Isabelle said, unable to contain her smile.

"Do you think they're… you know…"

"I'm not sure."

From inside Magnus and Alec's tent, somebody slapped their hand to the side of the tent. " _They_ might be, though."

Simon's face had gone bright red. Izzy kind of enjoyed seeing him so flustered. "So… uh… what have you got there?"

She looked down at the stick she had sharpened. "I don't know. I'm bored. I guess we can use it to kill things."

Simon's eyebrows arched higher than the frames of his glasses. "Woah, there! What do we need to kill?"

Izzy shrugged. "Food."

"So what, what you brought isn't enough?"

"I packed for a week. Who knows how long we'll be here."

Simon gulped, going considerably paler.

"Nah, I'm kidding," Isabelle said, playfully shoving him. "I'm just bored. This flimsy thing wouldn't even be able to pierce paper."  
Simon sighed with relief. "Okay, because I was worried for a second there that we'd have to go all Bear Grylls and survive… um… well, you know what I mean."

Izzy put down her stick. "Simon, you do realise whose hands you're in, right? We're all trained warriors. We know how to survive."

"So you're all capable of murder? How's that supposed to make me feel any better?" Simon quipped, but he trailed off, staring into Izzy's eyes. There was genuine comfort there, genuine compassion, that, despite their current circumstance, made the world that little bit nicer.

"So… if everyone else is off somewhere else, do you think we should - "

Simon was interrupted by Magnus spilling out of their tent, his hair a mess and his grin taking up his entire face.

"Hello, you two. How are you? Lovely day, isn't it?"

Simon began to say something, but Magnus had already begun to stride away.

"Magnus!" Izzy yelled, her voice wrought with concern. "There's blood all over your shirt!"

Magnus paused, a frown on his face. "Where?"

"Your shoulder."

He pulled the fabric covering his shoulder to where he could see it.

"Ah. My bad. Must have grabbed the wrong shirt," he said, that besotted smile of his regaining control.

As if on cue, Alec stumbled out of the tent, shirtless, with Magnus' black shirt in his hand. "How the hell do you mix up a t-shirt and a button-up? Get changed quickly before - "

Magnus nodded towards Izzy and Simon. Alec, beaming carelessly, just shrugged. "Oh well. Too late."

His smile quickly faded, however, when he saw Isabelle's stern glare.

"Alec."

"Iz," he said, hurriedly putting Magnus' shirt on.

"You're hurt."

"I'm… no, I… you told her?"

Magnus shook his head, no longer smiling either. "Your shirt. It had blood on it."

"Alec, how could you not tell me? There was a lot of blood on that shirt. How bad is it?"

"Calm down, Iz, it's not that bad."

"Not that bad? Alec, if you're hurt, we can't do anything about it. We don't have adequate first aid."

"Jace can do an _iratze…"_

"Who knows when he'll be back. Let me."

"Iz, a parabatai's runes have stronger effects. You know that."  
"It won't hurt if I do one now - "

"I'd rather leave it to Jace."

"Why don't you trust me enough to do this?" Izzy snapped, standing up despite Simon tugging at her arm.

"It's not that I don't think you can do it - "

"That's not what I asked, Alec. Why don't you trust me?"  
"I do!"

"And I suppose you trusted me yesterday, too, which was why you insisted upon carrying Magnus."

"And look where your protests got us!" Alec said, throwing his hands up in the air. Simon busied himself cleaning his glasses, but Magnus couldn't look away from the argument.

"Don't you dare pin this on me. I didn't ask for this. And now you've hurt yourself somehow and your ego is too fragile to let me help you."

"It's not that my ego is fragile, it's that it doesn't hurt. It hasn't since last night."

"Oh shit," Simon said.  
"What? Last night? This happened _last night?"_

"Iz - "

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"

"It wasn't a top priority, okay? I was preoccupied with trying to figure out how we'd survive the night."

"It wasn't a top priority? What the hell did you think was going to happen? It would heal itself? No one would find out? I can't believe you'd do this to me - "

"Aha! There it is. To you. It's not all about you, Iz. I didn't want to tell you because I thought there were more important things. I have my priorities straight. You don't even care that I'm hurt, you just care that I didn't come to you before anyone else."

"Bullshit! I care that you're hurt! Of course I do!"

"No, Iz, you don't - and you didn't care about carrying Magnus last night, either. You just wanted to prove yourself."

"Alexander," Magnus warned, holding his arm to stop him from walking over to Isabelle. She was standing now, without the support of the tree, and her blue eyes were flashing with anger.

"Prove myself? Please. I know what I'm capable of - "

"Then what's your problem?"

"By the Angel, Alec, just _listen_!"

"I am listening."

"No, you're not! You never listen to me anymore. Ever since you and Magnus - "

"Don't you dare," Alec growled, breaking away from Magnus' grip and striding towards his sister, "bring Magnus into this."

"Alexander!"

"What the hell is going on?"

Jace and Clary jogged into the clearing, both soaking wet. Neither Isabelle nor Alec broke eye contact with each other.

"Oh look. Jace is here. Maybe you'll finally get the help you deserve."

And with that, Isabelle began to walk away, towards her and Clary's tent. She remained upright, not limping or showing any sign of discomfort. The ground was uneven, and though she fought to appear unfazed, her sharp intakes of breath gave her struggle away.

"Don't be ridiculous, Iz."

"Just stop, Alec," she said, pausing momentarily. "Please."

As she disappeared into the tent, Jace turned to Alec, annoyance clear on his face. "What did you do?"  
"I did nothing," Alec muttered, shaking his head and turning away. "Nothing!"

"Alec," Jace said, but he had already stalked off into the trees. Clary turned to Magnus expectantly.

"Alec got hurt last night. In the fall."

Clary ran a hand through her wet hair. "God. I had thought it was lucky the worst injury anyone had was a bruise."

"Why didn't he tell me?" Jace asked, his furrowed brow deepening.

Magnus shrugged. "That's what Izzy asked, too. Look where that got us."

"I need to go talk to him," Jace said, running after his parabatai.

"I'll check on Izzy," Clary offered, and hurried over to their tent.

"Well, I guess that's what I get for thinking today wasn't going to be awful," Magnus sighed and slipped into his and Alec's tent.

And, just like that, Simon was left alone.


	3. A New Friend

"Hey, this is Clary. Leave a message after the - "

Jocelyn hung the phone up in frustration. "She's still not answering. Where are they?"

Luke took the phone from her. "Did it ring?"

"No. Straight to voicemail. Again."

"Then her phone's either off or outside of reception. Knowing her, I'd say she's outside of reception - she wouldn't turn her phone off in a crisis."

"What if they're hurt? What if a demon - "

"Jocelyn. They're more than capable of dealing with that. If they were inconvenienced in any way by a demon, I'm sure they'd have been only twenty minutes late. They have to be lost."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"They have everything they need with them. They should survive long enough for us to find them, right?"

Jocelyn shook her head hopelessly. "How are we supposed to find them on our own?"

"You're a shadowhunter. I'm a werewolf. If anyone can do it - "

"We can."

* * *

"Alec. Wait up."

"Not now."

"Alec, I really think - "

"I'm sorry, Jace. Not now."

"Please - can I just say something?"

Alec turned around, tired and exasperated. "What?"

"I don't know why you didn't tell Izzy about your injury. I don't know why you didn't tell _me -_ "

"Here we go again."

" - but, I do know you. I know you would have had your reasons. And look, I'm not choosing sides, here, but I'm sure your reasons are valid. Okay?"

Alec sighed. "Thanks."

"To be perfectly honest, I could not care less what said reasons are right now. All that matters is that you're okay. So. Shirt off. Let me see it."

Reluctantly, Alec took off Magnus' shirt. Jace grimaced when he saw the wound.

"That bad, huh?"

"Does it hurt?"

"Uh… a bit," Alec admitted, laughing nervously. "It hurt more before."

"Well, I guess an _iratze_ should do the trick."

Jace took out his stele and begun tracing the familiar rune on Alec's back. His cuts slowly closed, and the underlying redness of infection died down. Jace used his still-damp hand to brush away the dirt and dried blood. Soon enough, all that was left was a blue-black shadow of a bruise.

"Hey - there's a bit of… a bruise, I think, and it's not going away."

"Huh?"

"On your neck. It looks different from the rest, but it didn't go away with the - "

"Oh - uh - " Alec began to put the shirt back on, turning away from Jace so he could no longer see it. "That's - uh - not a bruise. Don't worry about it."

Jace grinned. "I was gone for what - thirty minutes? - and you and Magnus - "

"I could say the same about you and Clary," Alec laughed. "Where were you, anyway?"

"We found water," Jace shrugged.

"No shit, Sherlock, you look like a drowned rat."

"Speaking of what I look like - "

"Why does every conversation with you come to this?"

" - how bad is the bruise? On a scale from 1-10?"

"Honestly?"  
"Honestly."

"About an 8."

Jace swore, shaking his head. "Why me, Alec? Why _my_ face?"

"Don't worry. It'll die down soon. It just makes you look… tough."

"Really?"

"No. It looks pathetic."

"Thanks. You're great at pep talks."

"You're absolutely welcome."

* * *

"Iz?"

Isabelle turned around to see Clary stepping into the tent. She had an apologetic expression, but she didn't let that soften her resolve.

"Yes, Clary?"

"Is everything okay?"

She wanted to say yes, everything was fine. She wanted Clary to leave. She wanted Alec to stop whatever the hell he thought he was doing. And yet, she sighed, and muttered quietly, "what do you think?"

Clary sat down next to her. "Why are you mad at Alec?"

"He just… he's stopped trusting me. He's stopped listening to me. He's… I don't know. I don't know if I'm as angry at him as he thinks I am."

"Look, I'm no expert psychologist, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say he thinks you're _very_ angry at him."

Izzy began twirling her hair in her fingers. "I know. I went a bit overboard."

"If you think that he's changed… if you think there's a genuine issue that needs to be solved… why don't you talk to him?"

"I tried that. Look where it got us."

"Actually talking. No more blaming him for anything and everything. No more getting angry at his every slip-up."

"But I have every right to be annoyed that he didn't tell me about his injury, though."

"Of course. I think we're all annoyed. Now we're just going to have to wait longer before we can get up to the road."

Isabelle scowled. " _And,_ my brother is wounded, and at risk of infection and more serious repercussions."

Clary smiled. "That too."

"Hey - guys? Hey - can I…?"

They looked at the entrance to the tent to see Simon standing there, watching them, waiting to be asked in.

"Si, I have nothing against you joining the D&M, but this is a two-person tent… I don't know if you'll fit…"

"Don't be ridiculous. There's plenty of room."

And with that, Simon squeezed himself into the tent, forcing Clary to shuffle closer to Isabelle. Now, the three of them sat in a row, backs to one side of the tent, with their knees pulled up to their chests.

"Well, isn't this cosy?"

"Do you have something to say, Simon, or were you just lonely?" Isabelle asked, still focussed on twirling her hair.

"Actually, I do have something to say. Several things, in fact."

"Oh, God," Clary muttered.

"First; Isabelle. I don't understand what you're angry about, and I don't think I ever will, because you know… anyway. What I'm trying to say is that you have so little to be angry about. Like… yes, I understand Alec's a bit of an asshole. Or a lot of an asshole. In fact, it's probably true to say that on a scale from one to ten, Alec fits nicely - "

"Simon," Clary coughed.

"But even though he's a… moderate asshole, he's still… good. You know? He's still a nice guy. Not like a 'nice guy' nice guy. Like a genuinely _nice_ person who has asshole-y tendencies. And he cares about you. Because you're brother and sister, and because of all the crap you've been through together. And because you're, you know, amazing. And… uh… for what it's worth… I care about you, too. Probably a little bit differently to the way Alec does… unless… I mean no, probably not, right? That whole incest thing was just with Clary and - "

" _Simon_ ," Clary said, with more warning in her voice. Isabelle seemed quite amused.

"The point I'm trying to make is: even if Alec may not trust you (but he does) and even if Alec may not listen to you (but he does)… I will. So please don't ever feel like you're undervalued… or… I don't know… underappreciated… because even if everyone else hates you - which they would never do, because who the hell could hate you? - I will still trust you and listen to you and… try and make you smile."

Isabelle smiled softly, looking past Clary and at Simon. The tears that had threatened to fall before were still there, lining her eyes, but not for sadness - she was happy.

"And the second thing?" Clary asked.

"Huh?"

"You said several things. What's the next one?"

"Oh. Uh. Where's the bathroom? Like… where are we supposed to go when we need to… go? Because I don't really want to just be walking around and find - "

"Alright, that's enough of that. I understood you after the first sentence." Clary began shoving him out the door, anxious to get back the space they had sacrificed for his visit. "Just take a somewhat long walk in one direction, do whatever you need to do, and turn around and come straight back."

"What if I get lost?"

"Then we'll find you."

"I swear, Clary, if I die taking a piss, I will never forgive you."

"It's still daylight. You'll be fine," she insisted, ushering him out the flap of the tent.

"Oh, and Izzy?"

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Good luck with Alec. Everything will be okay."

Clary sat back down, done pushing Simon out the door. Her legs ached from the pain of the night before, and squeezing them into so small a space hadn't helped.

"He's a good kid, Simon."

"Yeah."

"Do you think I should confront Alec again?"

"I think you should talk to him. In private. Try and be a bit more understanding. And, uh… don't bring Magnus into it."

"You heard that bit?"

"You two were screaming so loudly that we could hear you perfectly before we could see you."

"Well, you know the Lightwood motto."

"Actually, I don't."

"Go big or go home."

* * *

Simon's plan was to walk until he could no longer see the camp. He had chosen to follow the sloped edge of the road for as far as he could. That way, he knew how to get back - just follow the giant wall of death.

The buzz of saying what he did to Isabelle had worn off. His confidence was waning. He was beginning to realise that he should have brought someone along with him, because the massive sloped edge of the road wasn't sufficient enough to keep him safe.

He chose a spot quickly and did what he needed to. He turned around to hurry back when something in the bush to his left rustled.

He froze.

Something moved again, quickly, causing a few shrubs to sway.

"Oh God. Um… look. Please don't eat me," he said, pressing himself against the wall. "I don't know what you are, but I'm not going to hurt you, so I'm just going to… leave…"

He remembered going camping as a kid, and the one thing his mother had told him was that if he was ever confronted by an animal, running would only make it strike. Because of this, he found himself edging away, keeping an eye on the bush.

The rustling was only getting more intense.

"Oh… wait, was it because of the… uh, the urine? Look, if that was your territory that I just accidentally marked, I apologise. I don't want it. In fact, you can have it back, free of charge. We can strike a deal."

Even his promise of real estate failed to quell the ominous rustling.

Simon wondered if screaming at the top of his lungs would get anyone there in time. However, before he could so much as whistle, the terrifying beast had leapt out of the shrubbery and straight at him.

* * *

Magnus closed his eyes, concentrating as hard as he could. He had been trying for the past few hours to do this. His fingers tingled, the magic tantalisingly close. He took deep breaths, trying to fill himself with something, trying to steady his shaky hands, but nothing was working. The more he strained to gather magic, the more light-headed he felt. His arms and legs had gone tingly, too, but not because of magic - because of how close he was to fainting. _Try harder,_ he told himself, frowning at the effort, giving everything he had to the weak pull of magic. Although his eyes were closed tightly, he could feel his vision fading, the strange array of colours he saw with his eyes pressed shut slowly turning to black. He took another deep breath - he had almost forgotten to breathe. His concentration lapsed, the magic slipping away, and in one final effort to draw it closer, he squeezed his eyes shut and pulled as hard as he could -

"Magnus!"

Magnus wasn't sure what happened first - he could have let go of the magic at hearing Alexander's voice, or perhaps after he felt Alec's touch on his arms, or maybe after he lost consciousness. Regardless of what had happened when, he found himself blinking to clear his dotted vision, and looking straight into Alec's bright blue eyes.

"Hi."

Alec shook his head. "I come into the tent to see you on the brink of consciousness, catch you right before you keel over in a dead faint, and all I get is 'hi'? I would have thought that this would have warranted a slightly less normal greeting."

"And your problem is?" Magnus asked, feeling the tingling subside as he caught his breath.

Alec sighed. "You. You're the bane of my existence."

Magnus smiled. "I think that's the first time that joke has been used in a flattering context."

"What were you doing, Magnus?"

Magnus sat up properly, wiping his eyes to get rid of the few lingering black spots. "Trying to get my magic working again."

"What? Magnus, you're still too weak. You're half as talkative as you normally are, and you're almost paler than me."

"But I shouldn't still be weak. All I did was bump my head a little bit."

"And then you fell down a rather large hill."

"The point is - I've endured worse, and I've been able to use magic in no time. I don't know why this time is any different."

Alec squeezed Magnus' arm. "It'll be fine. After all - we shouldn't _need_ magic. We're shadowhunters. We can cope."

"Speaking of coping - how's your shoulder?"

"Good as new."

"Are you sure? I should have a look myself," Magnus decided.

"This sounds like a very suave attempt to get me shirtless again," Alec muttered, but he was already undoing the buttons. "And by the way - this is your shirt. You have mine."

"I know. But I'm thinking of bestowing that shirt to you - it looks great on you. But do you know - "

" - where it would look even better?" Alec finished with a smile, handing the shirt to Magnus. "I've heard that one a few times too many, Magnus. You have to stop lending me clothes."

"Never," Magnus said, observing Jace's work. "I have to admit, blondie didn't do a half-bad job. It's much better than before."

"Yeah, well, that's not a very high standard of improvement."

"Does it feel better?"

"Yeah."

"That's all that matters," Magnus said, smiling to himself. He knew that Alec didn't care to admit when he was hurt, so hearing him admit a wound hurt less brought him peace of mind.

"Hey, uh, Magnus?"

"Yes?"

"You know how… Izzy said that I didn't listen to her?"

"Alexander, don't start - "

"And she said that it was your fault?"

"She didn't - "

"I don't know if I have changed or not, okay? I may have. Who knows. But I want you to know that it's not your fault."

Magnus began to protest again but Alec continued.

"Izzy and I disagree on… almost everything, honestly, but it usually never escalates that far. I don't know… I think I was afraid of her claims being valid about me not trusting her, so I just kept talking over her so I wouldn't have to hear them, and then… by the Angel, I messed up. She's so mad at me."

"Do you trust her?"

"Of course. She's my sister."

"The fact that she's your sister has nothing to do with how much you trust her."

"Do you really think I don't trust her?"

"I don't know, Alec. I'm not going to make excuses for either of you. But there _is_ something I want to say."

Magnus took a deep breath, staring steadily into Alec's eyes.

"I don't have siblings. I've never had siblings. I will never have siblings. For a majority of my life, I thought siblings were such a burden - to have to trust someone who you got no choice about… I don't trust easily, Alexander. I'd never be able to spend a mortal lifetime tied to someone I didn't choose to be tied to first. But I was wrong. Siblings have a kind of bond that can't be replicated. This petty dispute is nothing compared to the strength of your - "

"I know, Magnus. I trust her. I was just kind of unsure of why I was mad. I mean… we're mad at each other all the time. It's… not that big a deal."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Sorry."

"But thanks, though. That was… inspiring."

"It was utter bullshit."

"I know," Alec said with a smile. "But seriously… how am I going to make it up to her?"

"You're really stuck?"

"Yep."

"I have an idea, but I'd say it has a tad more pizzazz than you're used to."

Alec sighed. "Just tell me."

* * *

Izzy lay, brushing her hair. The afternoon was wearing on, and soon it would be dark. She had offered to cook lunch, but for some reason, her offer was turned down. The realisation that they'd have to spend another night in the forest had finally settled, and people were too nervous to eat. Clary was at the stream again with Jace, supposedly washing the dirt off of the equipment they had brought. Simon had been missing for the last few hours. Izzy was beginning to worry, but going out of her tent meant facing Alec, and she didn't know what she was supposed to say.

 _But Simon,_ she thought. _Simon could be lost, or hurt, or worst of all, dead, and you're too petty to face your own brother._

Before she could make up her mind, somebody opened the tent flap right above her head. She sat upright as they continued to awkwardly cram their way into the small tent.

"What the - Alec?"

"Gimme a sec."

"You don't have to sit in here. We can go outside - "

"Don't worry. I got this."

"I don't think you do… seriously, let's just go outside."

"I'm all good," Alec announced, finally twisting his legs beneath him. His knees were pressing against the sides of the tent, and he had to lower his head to avoid hitting the ceiling.

"Alec, I - "

"Izzy - I really want to listen to you. I promise I do. But is it okay if I go first? It's just… you'll see. Okay?"

She sighed. "Fine."

Alec tapped the side of the tent twice. "Are you ready?"

From outside Magnus whispered "five, six, seven, eight - "

"I'm just going to stop both of you there," Izzy said, loud enough for Magnus to hear. "Alec, I'm sorry if I hurt you by what I said. I was just frustrated that you didn't seem to trust me as much as before, but perhaps I was just being sensitive. I had no right to bring Magnus into the debate, or to claim you weren't listening to me. I'm sorry - I really am - so if it's okay with you, I'll be on my way."

"Izzy, no. I… Magnus, can you leave us please?"

There was a begrudging groan and some kerfuffle outside, but soon enough, it was just the two of them in the tent.

"Iz, you shouldn't say that. You had every right to be mad. I don't know if I've changed in the way I've treated you, but if I have, I'm sorry. I try to listen. I really do. But sometimes it's hard. And I mean… before it was just you, Jace and I… but now there are so many more people that I care about… I don't know how to balance everyone. I'm still figuring shit out. I trust you, I know I do, but I think that I'm afraid of becoming… meaningless to you. I want to help you because you're this badass, capable person, and I don't want to be left behind. I would never think you weren't strong enough. I'm sorry for any time you may have thought otherwise. And I was wrong when I said you thought everything was about you."

"You weren't. Not necessarily. I do like it when things are about me," Isabelle admitted with a smile.

"Don't we all?" Alec laughed. It felt as if a weight had been taken off his chest. "I'm sorry. Really."

"I am too."

They sat in comfortable silence before Izzy slapped a hand to her mouth. "Simon!"

"What about him?"

"He's been gone for ages! What if he's lost, or worse, he's - "

She was interrupted by Magnus' short scream. Alec's eyebrows shot up, and he scrambled, alongside his sister, to get out of the tent.

* * *

"What the hell is that?"

"I think it's a squirrel. It likes me."

"It looks like a sentient wad of hair you find in a drain!"

Simon gently covered the animal's head with a hand. "Shh! He can hear you!"

"Good! I hope it hears me and runs away! Shoo!"

"Simon!" Izzy burst out of the tent, running over to him. "You were gone so long - what happened?"

"I found a friend!"  
"He found a rat on steroids and decided to bring it into our lovely rat-free camping grounds!" Magnus said, sliding behind Alec and using him as a shield from the rodent.

"He's a squirrel," Simon said decidedly, opening his hand to let Izzy see. She flinched slightly upon seeing it. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought it was a mould-covered branch. It was furry, and dirty, and was scowling at her with fury more intense than any opponent she had ever fought.

"It's… cute."

"I call it Neville."

"Excellent."

Alec sighed, and held out a hand. "Simon, it's probably got rabies."

"Don't you dare."

"Give it to me."

"Never," he said, cradling the filthy thing. "It came to me, and I have decided to nurse it."

"It's a waste of time and food."

"Oh, we are not feeding that thing," Magnus said. "Unless, of course, we let it taste-test Izzy's Pinterest creations."

"That's a death sentence!" Simon exclaimed, ignoring Izzy's side-eye.

"Simon, it has to go," Alec said, his expression deadpan.

"Never."

" _Simon_."

"Over my dead body."

"If that's what it takes," he shrugged, drawing his seraph blade.

"Alec," Izzy said, pushing the blade out of Simon's face. "Play nice, remember? Let Simon have his pet."

"Pet? I'm not sure it qualifies as an animal - it looks more like the physical manifestation of disgust."

"Excuse me, but Neville has taken a liking to me."

"Figures."

"Alec!" Izzy exclaimed reproachfully, trying hard to keep serious as she scowled at him. He smiled back. Simon frowned - he felt like he was excluded from some sort of inside joke.

"Let Simon keep… Neville. Just for now. As to whether or not he's allowed to stay… we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

Simon smiled smugly at Alec, ignoring the condescending grin he got back.

"Now - let's cook dinner. And no, I will not volunteer to cook. You've made yourselves pretty clear about how you feel in regards to my cooking."

Magnus clapped his hands together. "Excellent. I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Clary had decided to turn off her phone. She had carried it around with her all morning and hadn't gotten any reception. There was no point wasting power until they were somewhere that could have signal. She didn't know whether the others had phones or not, but if Jocelyn was going to call anyone, it would be her. It worried her, that Jocelyn was looking for her. At least, she assumed she was. Clary hated it when her mother was nervous for her, so this whole getting lost in the woods situation was wreaking havoc in her mind. She felt sad about not knowing where her mother was. She felt afraid of not getting back. But most of all, she felt guilty.

She felt guilty that Jocelyn was probably having a heart attack trying to find her, but here she was, enjoying herself in the cool water of a remote stream. She felt guilty that somewhere, her mother was probably calling the police, hugging Luke, stressing over her lost child, and yet she got to sit and stare at Jace Herondale, wet clothes clinging to his body, as he cleaned the last of the equipment. That feeling of guilt hung over her like a cloud, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to worry nearly as much as she should have been. Part of her thought there was nothing to worry about at all.

"Done," Jace said, washing the mud off his hands in the water.

"Took you long enough."

"What can I say? I was being thorough."

"Sure," she said mockingly, laughing. He splashed water at her, but she jumped away, out of the stream, just in time.

"Aw, come on!"

"No. No more fooling around in the stream," she said, immediately flushing red when she thought over what she'd just said. Jace smirked. "Stop. Seriously. We have to get back. Maybe Simon's found his way back to the tents."

"You worry too much about him."

"I know," she said. "I've spent a lifetime worrying about him. There's always something worth worrying about, trust me."

"Well, don't," Jace said, stepping out the water and flicking his hair. "I'm sure he hasn't done anything stupid."

* * *

Jace didn't like to admit when he was wrong.

But this time, he certainly was, for Simon had in fact done something stupid. Whilst the rest of the intrepid survivors had settled down for dinner, Simon had had the bright idea of keeping Neville in his and Jace's tent. This, however, had gone downhill when Neville got bored of his blue canvas surroundings and decided to redecorate. When Jace went into the tent to change out of his wet clothes, he was greeted with an array of rodent faeces and small rips in the tent.

"Simon?"

"Yup?"

"Do you have something you want to tell me?"

"Your bruise isn't as hideously purple anymore?"

" _Simon_."

"Fine, it still looks awful, but - "

"What the hell happened to the tent?"

Simon stood up from his place by the food and peered into the tent. "Huh. It seems Neville has had some fun."

"Who's Neville?"

As if on cue, the feral rodent appeared, its face twisted in a menacing grimace. Simon smiled sheepishly at Jace. "He's my new pet."

Jace closed his eyes, counting to ten.

This could not get any worse.


	4. The Morning After

In a completely unexpected development, it did, in fact, get worse.

"Jace. Jace. Hey, Jace. Hey. Are you awake?"

"Shut up Simon."

"Oh good. You're awake."

"Go to sleep."

"I'm not tired."

"I am."

"No, you're not."

"Piss off and go talk to your little rat friend."

"Neville is sleeping."

"So am I."

"No, you're not, you're talking to me."

"I would have been asleep if you hadn't talked to me."

"But you're awake now."

Jace rolled over so he was facing Simon. They were lying in the dirt outside their tent, which was currently being occupied by Neville. Whilst the others were sleeping comfortably in the protection of their own tents, Jace and Simon were at the mercy of the elements.

"Alright then, Simon. What was so important that you thought it necessary to wake me up for?"

"Do you want to play truth or dare?"

Jace didn't know whether it was because they were lying in the dirt, forced out of their tent by a rat whilst being lost in the wilderness and Simon had suggested they play truth or dare, or if it was because Simon actually sounded sincere, but he couldn't help but let out a mirthless laugh.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

The eagerness dropped from Simon's face. "I just thought it would be a good… bonding experience."

"I would say something witty, but I'm too tired," Jace said, rolling back over. "No. It's a stupid idea."

"Come on, Jace. We may as well."

"No."

"I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Then you're a piece of shit, aren't you?"

"Please?"

Maybe it was because at that moment, he heard Izzy and Clary giggle, obviously talking about something secretive. Maybe it was because at that same moment, somebody moved in Alec and Magnus' tent, enough for the tent to move as well. Maybe it was because Jace didn't want to spend his second night in the woods as miserably as his first one. Or perhaps it was that deep down, he did want to play truth or dare with Simon.

Regardless of why he said it, it shocked Simon when Jace sat up, shook his head, and said "yes."

* * *

"Okay. I have another one. Han Solo - "

"Clary, don't you dare make me - "

" - Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa."

"How could you?"

Clary laughed. "You have to choose!"

Izzy pushed her playfully. "You're evil. Okay. Fine. I say I'd marry Leia, because she is just… perfect. You know?"

Clary nodded. "And plus - Carrie Fisher."

Isabelle smiled, happy that her decision was supported. "Maybe kill Luke, just because. I mean… he's pretty cool and everything, but I could never live with killing Han Solo."

Clary went to say something, but Isabelle silenced her with a warning glance that clearly said 'too soon'.

"So that leaves Han Solo then," she continued, "and to be honest, I'm not that mad about it."

Clary giggled loudly, but Isabelle shushed her. "Jace and Simon are right outside. I don't want them to hear me saying I'd bang Han Solo."

"Honestly? I think Simon would too."

They laughed again, before Isabelle composed herself, and said, "okay. My turn. F, M, K… ooh, I have a tough one. Jace, Simon, Alec."

"No."

"You made me choose between Luke, Leia and Han. You deserve it."

"Fine. Okay. Oh, God. I have to say marry Jace, right? He's my boyfriend."

Isabelle kept her expression blank. "Go on."

"Wait… or do I marry Simon? He's my best friend. I'm not killing him, and… well, I'm not doing anything else with him either. It wouldn't even be marriage. It'd be… like the inverse of friends with benefits. Spouses with disadvantages."

"You'd marry my boyfriend?"

"Look, regardless of who I marry, I'm killing your brother and getting somewhat intimate with your boyfriend, so yes, I'd marry your boyfriend. You're welcome."

"You'd kill Alec?"

"Come on, Iz. He and Magnus are too perfect together. I couldn't come between them."

"Plus he's gay."

"That too."

"So that's settled then? F… Jace, M Simon, K Alec?"

Clary nodded solemnly, before bursting into another fit of giggles. "Okay. Okay. Same for you, but Magnus instead of Alec. Don't worry - you're not going to _do_ anything to your brother."

"That makes one of us."

"Hey!"

"Okay, okay. Um. I'd marry Simon - who wouldn't? - and… to hell with it, I'd screw Magnus. Alec wouldn't take it personally. He'd understand."

"You'd kill Jace?"

"Is that wrong? I'm not marrying him, and I'm definitely not sleeping with him. He's like a brother to me."

"Okay then. Kill Alec's parabatai and screw his boyfriend. Why not set him on fire while you're at it?"

"Very funny. I'll have you know Alec and I are on good terms now, so I don't want to hurt him, but you forced me to. So now… as payback…"

"God, Izzy, please take it easy on me."

Isabelle smirked. "Luke, Jocelyn, and Magnus."

* * *

Clary's gasp of indignation was loud enough for Magnus to hear. He didn't know what the girls were discussing, and frankly, he didn't care. He focussed his hearing on something he did care about - Alec's heartbeat. With his head pressed against Alec's chest, he could hear the steady thumping. He could feel Alec's fingers gently tousling his hair, his other hand's fingers entwined in Magnus'. They lay, Magnus on top of Alec, silent enough for Alec's heartbeat to be all he could hear.

 _Thu-thump. Thu-thump. Thu-thump._

"You still awake?"

"Yeah."

"How close to sleep are you?"

"Why? Is there something you wanted to do?"

"Oh - no. I mean… no, I just… it's not that I don't want to, it's just that I meant… I don't even know what I meant. I just wanted to know."

"Oh."

"But… uh… if you wanted to… do something… I…"

"You're adorable when you're flustered, Alexander," Magnus said, smiling as he heard Alec's heart beat faster.

 _Thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump._

"So… uh…"

"Not just yet. I'm too comfortable in this position."

"Okay." Alec leant into Magnus, until he could feel his cheek pressed against his scalp. "Hey, Magnus?"

"Mm?"  
"Thanks for helping me with the whole Izzy thing. I mean… you didn't actually end up helping me apologise. Or do what I had wanted to do. But the fact that you were willing to help was really… sweet. And it made me more confident, so I guess you may have helped a little bit."

"It's just a shame it didn't get to play out. I would have liked to see her face when you started singing."  
"And I spent all that time learning those dance moves for nothing," he whispered, lowering his voice.

"I had the torch ready for the strobe lighting and everything," Magnus said, dropping his voice to the same volume as Alec. "But all my hard work and choreography was wasted."

"Yeah," Alec said, though Magnus could tell he didn't agree. They weren't talking about the apology anymore. They were filling in time, not to say anything, but to hear each other speak. Magnus would never tire of Alec's voice. It was soft, so soft that some thought it not worth listening to, but Magnus loved it. He would never admit it, especially not to Alec, but the thought of marriage, of tying himself down to a mortal, didn't scare him as much if it meant he got to hear Alec first thing every morning.

"Magnus?" Alec's voice was still low, meant only for Magnus. He almost didn't respond - he had heard Alec's heartbeat quicken again.

 _Thu-thump thu-thump thu-thump._

"Yes, Alexander?"

"I just… thank you. Really. For… for letting me get so close to you."

Silence descended upon them, Magnus, for the first time in his life, lost for words.

"By the Angel, that came out awkwardly. I meant…"

"I understand."

Something in Alec swelled with happiness. "I mean it, though. You said before that you didn't trust easily, and I don't think I do either. But… you make me really, really happy. I'd trust you with my life. And I want to thank you for trusting me back."

Magnus' head was buzzing, and he couldn't string together the right words, so instead, he said, "and how do you know I trust you?"

"I have a seraph blade in my pocket. You're defenceless. I could kill you right now, and you know that. But you're not afraid of me. You know I'd never hurt you."

"You know what, Alexander? That's just about the most violent confirmation of love that I have ever heard." He tilted his head up to Alec's, kissing his jawline softly. Alec tilted his head downwards, too, meeting his lips halfway. Magnus couldn't help but smile.

"Looks like it's not _just_ a seraph blade in your pocket, then."

"So help me, Magnus - "

And then Magnus kissed him again, because Alec was right. He did trust him, completely, utterly, foolishly. He would trust his own infinite life in the hands of this very shadowhunter.

* * *

"Truth."

"Okay," Simon said, jokingly stroking his chin. "Out of all of the guys here, who do you think is the most attractive?"

"Me."

"Apart from you."

"I still say me. I don't know if you've noticed, Simon, but I'm one fine piece of ass."

Simon rolled his eyes. "If you say so. But seriously - out of Alec, Magnus and I, who do you think is the most attractive?"

Jace thought for a second. "Actually, I think Alec."

"Really?"

"Definitely. I mean, look at his eyes. And he's got great abs."

Simon laughed. "If you weren't dating Clary, I'd say you were gay for Alec."

"Please, aren't we all a little gay for Alec?"

Simon shrugged. "I guess so."

"Wait - seriously?"

"Were you joking?"  
Jace laughed, throwing his head back. "Wait until Izzy hears her boyfriend is a little gay for her brother!"

"You wouldn't," Simon whispered surreptitiously, alarm clear in his voice.

"Fine. Your turn. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Ugh. Not again. You've chosen truth ever since the game began and you're officially the least interesting person to ever grace my presence. I'm officially reneging the options and forcing you to choose dare."

"And if I don't?"

"I'll tell Izzy you think her brother's cute."

"God damn it. Fine. What do I have to do?"

Jace thought for a second. "Take Neville and put him in one of the others' tents. Your choice."

"No. No way."

"Come on. You said."

"No! I'm not risking Neville like that."

"I'll tell Izzy."

"Fine."

Jace raised an eyebrow. "Okay then. I'll tell Alec."

Simon gasped. "Don't you dare! Do you know how awkward that would be?"

"It would be awkward, wouldn't it?"

"You monster, Jace!"

"Are you going to do it?"

"No!"

"Then I'm telling Alec. Right now."

"Fine! I don't care anymore. Tell him I think he's cute. Tell him whatever you want. Hell, tell him I want to have his blue-eyed babies. I don't give a damn."

"Huh. Okay. Well, I've made another executive decision. If you don't do this, I won't tell Alec. I'll do it myself but I'll say you dared me to."

"Why are you like this?"

Jace shrugged. "Are you doing this, or am I?"

"Fine. But I'm putting him in Alec and Magnus' tent."

"You think the girls will be too afraid around good old Neville?" Jace asked mockingly.

"No. I think that they'd slit both of our throats before we could so much as apologise. They're freaking terrifying."

"Fair point. Alec and Magnus it is."

Simon scowled and went into the tent to get Neville. There was some mild scuffling before Simon emerged, hands clasped around the feral bundle of hair.

"I can't believe you're making me do this."

"Don't worry. They're probably just sleeping."

Simon, still frowning, walked over, and stopped less than a metre short of the tent's entrance. He paused for a second, before spinning around and speed-walking back to Jace, shaking his head as his cheeks blossomed red.

"Not sleeping. Not sleeping. Not sleeping."

"Oh. My bad."

"I'm not doing this, Jace."

"Fine. I will."

"And which tent will you choose? Would you rather get killed for interrupting the girls talking, or for interrupting the guys having sex?"

Jace paused. He didn't want to admit to Simon that he made a good point, so instead, he smiled deviously again.

"Okay then. I'm changing the dare again."

"You can't keep doing this."

"I dare you to go and join Izzy and Clary. Right now. Go into their tent and just join whatever conversation they're having without any explanation."

"That's still a death sentence."

"Do it, or I let Neville go."

"If I leave him here and go join them, do you promise not to touch him?"

Jace shrugged amusedly. "Sure."

Simon, keeping a watchful eye on Jace, bent down and let Neville back into the tent. Keeping his eyes trained on Jace, he backed towards the girls' tent.

"If I die - "

"I'll tell them you died bravely."

And with that, Simon disappeared into the tent.

* * *

"Wait, are you sure? Because that leaves Gandalf."

"Hell yeah, I'm sure."

"You'd screw Gandalf?"

"Sure."

Simon froze. "Wait, what?"

Clary and Izzy turned around, catching his apologetic grin.

"Simon? What the hell are you doing?"

"I think the question is, what the hell are you doing? Or should I say, who the hell are you doing? Why would you bang Gandalf?"

Izzy shrugged, looking at Clary uncertainly as if to say 'who does this guy think he is?'.

"He was the last option."

"In what?"

"FMK. You're given three people. You choose one person to sleep with, one to marry, one to kill," Clary explained.

"Who were your options?"

"Frodo, Saruman, Gandalf."

Simon laughed. "Easy. Kill Saruman, because he's an asshole, marry Gandalf, because he's magical and would be quite useful to have around, and sleep with Frodo."

"You'd sleep with Frodo? Really? I'd marry him," Izzy shrugged.

"And I thought _I_ was too short for you," Simon said, feigning shock. Izzy laughed warmly, and Clary took that as a sign that Simon had been welcomed into their tent, no further questions asked.

* * *

Jace kicked at the floor. Maybe sending Simon off wasn't such a great idea. He had thought he would have been back by now, albeit a bit battered up, but it seemed that the girls weren't as lethal as he thought. Or at least, rather unexpectedly, his best friend and girlfriend hadn't decided to kill him on sight. Who would have thought?

His thoughts, as per usual, wandered back to Clary. She was tense, for obvious reasons, but Jace couldn't relate. He, somehow, wasn't concerned about their current condition. He had expected to be feeling stressed or worried by now - not quite as much as Simon, but anxious nonetheless - and yet he was not. If anything, he was excited. There was something he enjoyed about being reckless, something thrilling about disobeying instruction. Yes, Alec was his parabatai, but part of him had jumped over that ledge not for him or for Izzy, but for the adventure that would unfold. Did that make him a bad person? Enjoying a potentially perilous, potentially stress-inducing situation? Did it make him naïve, or stupid? Was he oblivious to the imminent danger, or was there really nothing to be worried about? Or did it make him apathetic? He closed his eyes, thinking. They had enough food. They had water. They could get fresh water with the portable filter Luke had wanted to bring (to give them the 'true camping experience'. How ironic.) There weren't any animals, apart from Neville, but he hardly counted as a threat, unless it was to Jace's sanity. All things considered, it was pretty good.

Why, then, was Clary so stressed? He hated how selfish it made him sound, that if he was unfazed, then she should be too. But at the same time, it was truly how he felt. He had always been able to understand Alec's inhibitions and refute them with his own logic - why, then, was it so hard to understand Clary?

Simon gasped loudly from inside the tent.

"You wouldn't!"

Clary laughed. "I would! One hundred percent!"

"I will never understand you, Clary Fray."

Huh. It seemed him and Simon had more in common than he thought.

* * *

Alec closed his eyes. There was not much point to keeping them open. The tent was dark enough. Magnus was asleep, having returned to lying on him, just with fewer clothes this time. Alec breathed softly through his nose, almost afraid that if his breaths were too deep, he would disturb Magnus. As it was, he could feel his hair tickling his face as it was gently rearranged by his breath.

He began to rethink the day's events - from Izzy getting mad at him, to making up with him, to Jace saving his shoulder from the intense pain it had been in, to Magnus. God. Magnus. What had he done to deserve Magnus?

He could feel him breathing against his neck, and could feel the gentle pulse of his heart against his chest. Magnus, the High Warlock of Brooklyn, was here, in his arms, with nothing between them at all. Magnus, the most powerful magic user he knew, was asleep, vulnerable and most incredibly of all, he was _his._ Magnus, Magnus, _Magnus._

His Magnus.

And in that moment, he swore one thing: that he would never let Magnus' trust go to waste.

* * *

"Wake up! We have a new day ahead of us!"

Clary groaned. "I don't wanna wake up."

"Me neither," Izzy said, rolling over.

"Ditto," Simon said, sitting up. Clary blinked, slowly letting Simon's presence sink in.

"Uh, Simon? Did… did you sleep in our tent?"

"Yeah."

Izzy sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What? Why?"

"Well, you both fell asleep halfway through your sentences, and you were both kinda leaning on me, so I didn't want to wake you up."

Clary shared a smirk with Isabelle. "Sure."

"Honestly, I did."

"It's not like you didn't want to room with Jace or anything."

"Well, he's not exactly the most pleasant person."

"I can hear that you're awake! Get out here!" Jace's voice was still low from having just woken up, but he seemed in a bad mood already.

"Someone woke up on the from side of bed," Izzy muttered, pulling a jumper on.

"I wonder if he's a bit bitter about me getting to spend the night with two beautiful women," Simon said, winking.

"Ooft, Simon! Smooth!" Izzy laughed. "Have you been taking lessons from Magnus?"

"Speaking of," Clary said, "who wants to bet that Alec and Magnus emerge wearing each other's clothes again?"

Simon shook his head, cleaning his glasses before he put them on. "I don't think I've ever seen two people love each other more. It's adorable."

"Hey, assholes! Get a move on!"

"Yikes," Clary muttered under her breath.

* * *

It was hard to say what looked worse for wear - Jace's face, or Jace and Simon's tent. His bruise had begun to turn an unattractive blue-brown, and on top of that, he had bags under his eyes. The tent had been torn to shreds in one corner, and there was a conveniently rat-sized hole at the base.

"Wait - is Neville still there?" Simon asked, blinking blearily.

"Does it look like I give a shit?" Jace replied, running a hand through his hair and picking out the twigs that another night on the ground had thrown in there.

"Oh God. Neville!" Simon stumbled to the tent and flung it open before loudly breathing a sigh of relief. "It's all good! He's just asleep now."

"This is messed up, Simon," Izzy said, shaking her head.

"Is it? Because I can think of several things that are more messed up, most of which you said last night," Simon quipped with a hazy smile. Izzy raised her eyebrows warningly.

"Remember, Si, what happens in the tent - "

" - stays in the tent. Gotcha," he said with a cheesy finger-click.

Clary couldn't help but notice Jace's disgusted glance at the two of them. He looked pissed off. She frowned and went to say something to him, but before she could, Izzy said "And I wouldn't be so cocky about me saying messed-up things. Little Girl over here had a few… interesting opinions too, if I do say so myself."

Clary gasped in spite of herself. "One, my name is - "

" - not little girl," Simon finished without even looking up.

"And two, you just said what happened in the tent stayed in the tent. If you really want to play those cards, I could always go tell Magnus what you said about his - "

"Clary!" she laughed, pulling her hair back in a ponytail. This time, Clary missed Jace's disapproving glare. They set about distributing breakfast, Izzy claiming the last apple. Jace sat down, a sour expression on his face, and began rummaging through their bag of supplies.

"You didn't sleep well?" Izzy guessed.

"How could I have slept well? I was on the ground. In the dirt. All because Simon's stupid rat friend decided to shit all over our tent."

"Take it easy," Clary said, patting him on the back as she sat down next to him. "You didn't hear it from me, but I think that next time Simon wanders off, Neville is going to conveniently escape."

"You couldn't have done that sooner? Or what, were you too busy cozying up with Simon?"

Izzy let out a low whistle.

"Excuse me?"

"What? It's true. You, Izzy and Simon slept together last night."

"We what?" Simon asked, joining them on the floor. "I don't remember that."

"He means we shared a tent."

"Not necessarily," Jace spat.

"Woah, okay. That's disgusting," Izzy said, putting down her apple. "You really want to sink that low?"

"You're right. I'm sorry for asking," Jace replied curtly, standing up and brushing the dirt off his pants. "After all - what happens in the tent stays in the tent."

And with that, he stalked off.

The awkward silence that soon followed was broken only by Magnus tumbling out of his tent, a grin on his face.

"What a wonderful day it is today!"

Isabelle nudged Clary, smirking.

"And what is so entertaining, Isabelle?" Magnus asked, mussing up his hair further by running a hand through it.

"It's just that those pyjamas were my Christmas gift to Alec. And I have to say - that shade of navy blue suits you."

"Ah! Excellent! We shall have to get dressed in the dark more often - it seems to produce great results."

"Is Alec up?"

"Not anymore. Oh - you mean is he awake? Yes, of course. Alexander!"

"One second," Alec said from the inside of the tent.

Magnus inhaled deeply through his nose, a content smile on his face. "Yes. What a wonderful world. Now - to the imbecile who woke me up by saying, if I recall correctly, 'hey, assholes, get a move on'… where is our little ray of sunshine?"

"Jace is butthurt because he didn't get to share a bed with me," Simon said with a wry smile.

"Oh. Okay. That's a first," replied Magnus. "Now tell me - what's on the agenda for today?"

"I say we work on climbing that hill thing," Izzy said decisively.

"Excellent start," Clary said with a definitive nod. "What do you think, Simon?"

"I think we should make t-shirts that say 'Simon is more of a chick magnet than Jace Herondale'."

"Very mature. Magnus?"

He nodded slowly, considering Simon's proposition. "Yeah. I support that. I'm a medium, by the way. I'd like seven shirts - one for every day of the week."

"I meant, do you have any ideas for what to do today?"

"Please - we all know what's at the top of his to-do list," Simon said.

"Speak of the devil," Magnus said with a smile as Alec clambered out of their tent, fully dressed in his usual black ensemble.

"Wrong pyjamas."

"Oh, Alexander, life's too short not to share clothes."

"Really, Magnus? Your life's too short?"

"Good morning, Alec," Clary said, trying to distract him from Magnus. "We were just discussing what we were going to do - I mean, what we were planning to accomplish today."

"Huh. How about… we try and climb the giant hill?"

Izzy high-fived her brother. "Majority rules."

"Majority? You're two out of six."

Izzy smirked. "If you can get more than two people to agree on anything else, I'll be impressed."

Magnus shrugged, adjusting his shirt. "She's got a point. The rest of us aren't going to agree on anything. Two _is_ a majority."

Simon shook his head. "This is _just_ like the third Pirates of the Caribbean."

Alec looked at him questioningly. "Right. Well. Hey - where's Jace? I thought he was awake."

"He had a little… tantrum," Izzy said, lowering her voice though Jace was well out of earshot. "Simon crashed Clary and my party last night."

In the corner of Izzy's vision, Magnus fist-bumped Simon.

"Jealousy?"

"Probably."

"That makes sense. I mean, I'd be pretty jealous too if I looked like Jace and someone like Simon got to spend the night with two girls."

Izzy playfully slapped her brother. "Easy. He's my boyfriend."

"I know. I was just joking. Which direction did Jace go?"

Clary gestured vaguely after him. "He went in the direction of the river we found. He's probably there."

"Why?" Simon asked.

"Because he knows that I'd be able to find it."

"So?"

"Please. I know Jace. He wouldn't run off to someplace I couldn't find."

* * *

"You're a real asshole sometimes. You know that right?"

Jace spun around to see Alec standing a few metres behind him. He had been sitting by the river, just upstream from where he and Clary had spent most of yesterday. The rush of water made it impossible to think too hard, which was exactly what he needed.

"What?"

"Do you know how shitty you make Simon feel?"

"You're on his side now, are you?"  
"He told me what happened last night. How you tried to blackmail him into doing something stupid."

"I was playing around, Alec! We do it all the time."

"And then, on top of all of that, you have a hissy fit because he's good enough friends with Clary and Izzy to seem so non-threatening that they let him into their tent last night. Are you really that petty?"

"I'm just sick of… him."

"That's not a good enough excuse, Jace."

"Really? That was a good enough excuse for you and Iz."

"This is nothing like that. That was us being mutually annoyed at each other. Here, you're just pissed off at Simon for having done nothing but cope with your angsty bullshit."

"Why are you angry at me, Alec?" Jace asked, folding his arms.

"I'm your parabatai. It's my job to tell you when to get your act together."

"No, it's your job to stick by me."

"It's my job to do what's best for you."

"So what? Is this some kind of intervention? Look, I had a shitty night's sleep, I'm not feeling great, and half of my face is swollen beyond belief. I have every right to be pissed off."

"That's not the point, Jace. The point is that you're overreacting - "

"Jace!" Clary burst through the trees, batting the stray twigs away. "Sorry to interrupt this little… bonding session… but I have something to say."

"Go ahead," Jace grumbled.

Clary sighed but straightened herself up to be as tall as she could next to him. "I don't want to infantilize you, so I won't talk about your feelings as if I understand them. Because… well, I don't. I don't know what you're feeling. But I can tell a lot of it stems from the fact that Simon got to sleep in Izzy's and my tent. I don't know if you're jealous, or simply annoyed, or perhaps you thought the situation would go differently and you're frustrated that it didn't, but this whole 'running off' thing is too much. Just talk, and I'll answer."

"Just talk? Fine. I'll talk. Simon Lewis decides to annoy Magnus so much he takes a wrong turn and gets us stuck in the wilderness. Simon Lewis decides to wander off to take a piss and he finds a rat which he sees himself in and then, for some godforsaken reason, he keeps. Simon Lewis decides to leave it in our tent that we were forced to share and as a result, I had to sleep outside, on the floor, with him. Simon Lewis bugs me until I play truth or dare with him, and then leaves me outside, in the dirt, whilst he shares a tent with _my_ girlfriend and _my_ sister. And then, Simon fucking Lewis decides to make a huge deal about how great your night was. I don't understand how he can repeatedly screw everything up and yet you all still side with him!"

"That's nothing like what happened, okay? I agree that Neville was a mistake, but you can't blame Simon for us being here, and you most certainly cannot claim that last night was anything other than him falling asleep after we did. And besides, I don't want to play the blame game, but it _was_ your idea for him to join us - "

"Really? And who told you that?"

Clary froze. "Jace - "

"You can't _seriously_ expect me to think you're being a diplomat. You cannot tell me that you're on the fence here."

"Jace, calm down. There's nothing wrong," she reassured him.

"There's everything wrong!" Jace stepped towards her, his hand coming close to her face. She didn't flinch - she knew he would never hit her, that he was just so angry that he wanted to get his anger out the way he knew best: fighting. She knew she was safe.

But Simon didn't.

And so when he saw Jace raise his hand, close enough to hurt Clary, Simon was so blinded by shock that he didn't see him clench his fist and lower it again. He didn't see the apologetic shake of the head. All he saw was Clary in danger.

So he stood up from where he was crouched, despite Isabelle tugging at his shirt to get him to sit down again, whispering "he didn't hit her, he didn't hit her!", and stepped out of the forest.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"You tried to hit Clary."

"I would never hit Clary."

"That's bullshit. This is all bullshit." Simon blinked rapidly, suddenly realising what he was doing. He was confronting Jace Herondale, one of the best Nephilim warriors around, for almost doing something that he would never do. He was stupid - that much he knew - but he was right. It was all bullshit.

"Stop pretending you know what you're doing."

"Fine. Stop pretending I'm completely incapable of ever amounting to anything."

"I'm not pretending."

"Neither am I," Simon said, and in the stupidest move he had made so far, he aimed a punch at Jace. Alec reached out to grab Simon by the shirt and yank him backwards, but Jace got to him first, blocking the punch and striking back, hitting Simon hard in the stomach.

"What the hell? Stop it!" Izzy ran out of the forest, but her ankle, still recovering, ached with pain and she tripped over. Clary caught her, leaving Alec to try and pry the two apart.

"Stop it! Both of you! You're being ridiculous!"  
But neither would, because both were hurt, and both were tired, and both were never going to give in to the other. They were both too proud to let Clary down. Little did either of them know that them hurting each other had already lost them both respect in her eyes.

Simon couldn't take it anymore; he knew it was a waste of energy. He could never beat Jace in hand-to-hand combat. So he did what he knew best - he backed out of the confrontational situation. The problem was, as he stepped backwards, he felt the cool rush of water fill his shoe. He was backing into the river.

Jace, however, showed no signs of stopping. He wasn't just angry at Simon anymore. He was angry at Clary, for not backing him up. He was angry at Izzy, for thinking that she needed to hide in a bush to keep Clary safe from him. He was angry at Alec, for not understanding. Hell, he was angry at the entire world for not understanding, only Alec had no excuse. And so he punched, and fought against Alec's restraining arms, because there was no way in Hell that he would give up. This was for the day or so they had spent lost in the woods. This was for all of the shit he had ever had to go through. This was for him, goddammit.

If he was the only one on his side, then so be it. He would fight.

No one was sure what happened next. Simon and Jace and Alec were too entangled in their efforts for the others to quite tell who slipped, or whose fault it was. Regardless, they fell into the strong current.

Clary screamed, and Izzy clapped a hand to her mouth, but it was too late.

They had been whisked away downstream.


	5. Downstream

_It was everywhere, roaring, tumultuous, piercingly cold and breathtakingly loud. It was big and grey and everything he could see. He fought, fought for air, fought his way to the surface. He became aware of something, another force, pulling him away from the direction of the tide. With all the strength he could muster, he followed that force, until the seemingly bottomless river spat him up on the riverbed._

Alec sputtered, cold water trickling out of his gaping mouth. As he blinked, the world came back into focus, but he couldn't recognise where he was. He used his elbows to slowly lift himself off the dirt bank, ignoring how hard he was shaking.

"Alec?" Jace's voice was weak, but it was comforting. Alec struggled into a kneeling position and looked over to see his parabatai lying on his back, muddied and bruised as ever, but breathing.  
"Where's Simon?"

Jace pointed to Alec's other side, where Simon lay face-down in the mud. His chest was rising and falling, ever so slightly, but if he was awake he was choosing to rest.

"Well, this isn't ideal, is it?"

"No. Not at all. No thanks to you," Alec spat, standing up. He looked up- and downstream, hoping they had only been carried a few metres away from where they had fallen in, but there was no sign of any of their companions.

"What do you mean? It was Simon who - "

"You and Simon then. Fine. But this mess is your fault, even if only partially."

"I hardly think - "

"Take some responsibility for something just this once, Jace. God."

Jace shut his mouth. Alec was right. He was to blame, even if only a little. There was no point in denying it.

"So what do we do?" Simon asked, coughing slightly. Jace looked across at him with a look of distaste on his face. Maybe he was going to admit he was at fault, but there was no way he'd take Simon's share of the blame.

"We go back upstream."

"How?"

"What do you mean how? We follow the river back the way we came."

"But… we were under for so long. We must be so far away."

"What do you mean? We weren't under for that long - "

Simon gestured at Jace. "What time does your watch say?"

Jace begrudgingly looked at his wrist. "It's dead."

"I know."

"Fine. 8:24."

Simon held up his watch. "It's waterproof. It says the time right now is 8:41."

"We were in there for seventeen minutes?" Alec asked incredulously.

Simon shrugged. "I guess."

"How the hell did we do that? The world record is like twenty minutes."

"Well, I don't know about you two, but I kept my head above the water, so I could breathe, for most of it. There were some rough patches where I had to hold my breath, but for the most part…"

"I didn't have my head above water the whole time," Jace snapped, jerking his head to shake the water out of his ear. "Explain that."

"Well, you're a shadowhunter. Surviving against the odds is what you do."

Alec smiled. "That seems about right."

"So what do we do now? Do we just… walk upstream?"

Jace stood up, flicking mud from his hands. "What other choice do we have?"

* * *

Magnus closed his eyes, breathing slowly. He could do it. The familiar tingle of tantalisingly close magic hummed in his fingers.

 _Breathe in._

He pulled his hands apart, feeling the space between them buzz with the same excitement he felt in his fingertips.

 _Breathe out._

He brought his hands closer together again, the tingling growing, getting warmer.

 _Breathe in._

He shifted his hands until they were one over the other, moving them around the sphere of air between them.

 _Breathe out._

His fingers crackled with blue, the thrumming of magic like a pulse under his skin.

 _Breathe in._

His hands knew what to do, and he ever so slowly opened his eyes, seeing the sparks and light and electricity of his own making.

 _Breathe out._

He spun his hands faster, gathering more blue, slowly but surely building up magic, usable magic, and despite his best efforts, he found himself smiling. He laughed once, a short, surprised laugh, and then again, until he was in hysterics over this simple feat. He could do magic again! He could get them out of there!

He could finally get some decent food!

Just wait until Alexander saw!  
"Magnus!"

There was panic in Clary's voice, so strong that Magnus lost focus and the blue sparks vanished. He stood up, turning around to see Clary stumbling up to the tents, Isabelle leaning on her.

"Clarissa? Isabelle?"

"They were fighting, and they fell into the stream!" Clary was out of breath, and unceremoniously dropped Izzy, but she was too stressed to care. "They're gone!"

"Wait, what?"

"Alec, Simon, and Jace. They were all caught up in this fight and… they fell into the river. We don't know where they are."

"You didn't think of following them?" Magnus snapped, running over to help Izzy up as Clary staggered over to a place where she could sit.

"And what, leave you here alone without explanation?"

"Fine. That makes sense. But… God, they could be anywhere! How long ago did they fall in?"

Izzy shrugged, worry furrowing her brow. "About twenty minutes."

"It took you twenty minutes to get here?"  
"I rolled my ankle again, and we had to climb through some pretty dense forest to get back here," Izzy said, scowling. "We tried to be fast."

Magnus wrung his hands. "I know, I know. This is hardly your fault. Okay. Let's… let's just think. What can we do?"

"We could track them," Izzy suggested, holding her ankle tenderly.

Magnus nodded curtly. "Good idea. I can do it - warlock tracking is more powerful than shadowhunter tracking."

Clary frowned. "I thought you said your magic wasn't working."

He shrugged, a sheepish half-smile on his face. "I doubt you'd believe that I just got it back then, would you?"

"You know what? I don't care anymore. Can you track them?"

* * *

Magnus held Alec's shirt in his hands. "Are we sure this is how we want to do this?"

Clary nodded. They'd debated for too long over whose possessions to use - Magnus wasn't strong enough to track more than one person, and there was no way of knowing whether or not the boys were together. However, Izzy had reasoned, Alec wouldn't be stupid enough to let Jace or Simon wander off alone, so chances are, if they found Alec, they'd find Jace and Simon too.

Magnus closed his eyes, feeling both Clary's and Isabelle's gaze on him. He felt his face burn - it was taking too long to get a hold of the magic. What if he had used it all this morning? What if the shock that came with losing Alec had set back his progress? What if -

"I'm getting something!"

It was coming in bits and pieces. He could hear Alec's voice, tired and worn out, and alone, painstakingly alone. He saw the river, flashes in and out of the water, tumbling and grey and menacing. Jace's eyes, gold and red-rimmed, and Simon's shaky laughter.

"They're together. They're all alive."

Mud, and water rushing against a rock. Gasping for air. Trees, dirt, bird calls, the cloudy sky. He could feel Alec's heartbeat as if it was his own, rapid and uneven, with fear or exhaustion he wasn't sure.

"Can you see where they are?"

Snippets of the sky mixed with the ground, as if Alec was spinning in circles, looking around so quickly that it made Magnus' head hurt.

"I can't tell. It's like watching a Jason Bourne movie - it's too unsteady to make anything out."

"Are you sure? No landmarks?"

Magnus shook his head, and instantly felt nauseous at the extra movement. "Just… trees. And rocks. And the river."

"That's a start, right? The river? So we just have to follow it downstream."

"And… they're still soaking wet. They must have just got out," Magnus concluded.

"If we really wanted, we could figure out how fast the river moved, and calculate how far they could have travelled in twenty minutes," Izzy suggested, but Magnus was already striding away into the forest.

"Where are you going?" Clary yelled, helping Izzy hobble along after him.

"To find Alec."

* * *

"Oh shit."

"What's wrong?"

"Look."

"I can't see as far as you. I lost my glasses in the whole river thing."

"Why have we stopped?" Jace stopped next to them, his perpetual scowl still in place.

"The river."

"Congrats. What an astounding realisation."

Alec glared at him. "Can't either of you see?"

"What?" Simon said, his voice breaking slightly.

"It forks. The river forks."

The three of them stood there, unable to move. Why would they bother wasting energy? Simon put his hands behind his head and began breathing loudly, trying to stop himself from hyperventilating. Alec was still staring ahead at the river, blinking slowly, hoping that it would just correct itself and go back to being one solid river that they could follow with absolute certainty. Even Jace's frown had been wiped away.

So they stood.

Simon spoke first.

"We're dead."

"We're not dead."

"We're absolutely dead."

"Simon," Alec chided, but it was too late. Simon was laughing maniacally now, walking quicker and quicker along the riverbank.

"We're screwed. We're toast. They're going to find us here one day in the future and say 'oh, what idiots, getting lost in the woods twice and dying of starvation. If only they had… I don't know, not fallen into the river? Oh well!' And then they're going to take photos of our skeletons and make us a display that they'll label 'humanus stupidus: the days before we had GPS systems built into our brains and were still capable of getting lost and dying alone in the cold, relentless wilderness' and we'll just be bones but we'll still feel the sting of belittlement and - "

"Simon!" Alec snapped, grabbing him by the shoulders and holding him still. "We're not going to die. We still have Izzy, Clary and Magnus."

"Oh great. They're going to get lost looking for us. We've killed them too. We're not going to end up in a museum, we're going to end up in jail."

"Just shut the fuck up, okay Simon?"

Alec released Simon and turned to Jace. "Don't. Not now."

"Actually, I think now is a great time," Simon said, blinking in Jace's direction. "Do tell, Jace, why I should 'shut the fuck up'. After all, it is _my_ fault we're here, isn't it? Because I screw everything up, don't I? And I have no right to be even the slightest bit concerned about my wellbeing, do I?"

"Simon, just drop it," Alec hissed.

"No. He's right," Jace said snidely, stepped towards Simon. "This is his fault. All of it. If he hadn't freaked out about _nothing_ and decided to punch me I would never have retaliated, and we wouldn't be here."

"Over 'nothing'? You were going to hit Clary!"  
"I would never hit Clary!"

"How was I supposed to know that?"

"Because you know that I'm not that shitty a person!"  
"Really? You think you've left some sort of… _angelic_ impression on me? I know it's ironic, Jace, but I refuse to believe there's anything angelic about you."

"Don't you _dare_ suggest that I would ever hit her!" Jace snapped, clenching his fists.

"Jace," Alec murmured in a warning tone.

"Stay out of this, Alec. This is between this little piece of shit and me."

"What are you going to do, Jace? Hit me? And prove me right?" Simon cocked an eyebrow, and although his words challenged Jace, there was fear in his eyes.

"That's enough! Both of you!" Alec barked, taking both Simon and Jace by surprise. "Sit down!"

"Sit down? But… " Simon looked around at the mud at their feet, whilst Jace glowered at Alec.

"Just do it."

Both looking mildly concerned, they sat down at Alec's feet. Simon crinkled his nose in disgust at the feeling of sitting on mud, but Jace was still frowning, unperturbed.

"Right. Well. You're both acting like pathetic little assholes who can't see past their own selfish desires. Get your shit together. Both of you."

"Oh." Simon raised his eyebrows. "Uh. Sorry. But… am I really acting selfishly? I mean, don't get me wrong, I get this is a little my fault, but… shouldn't your harsh but well-intended constructive criticism be aimed at Wednesday Addams over here?"

Jace's scowl intensified. "Excuse me? 'A little' your fault? If you hadn't have punched me at all, we wouldn't be here! And what do you mean, you're not selfish? You've done nothing but think of yourself since the beginning of this whole mess!"

"I have not!"

"You have!"

"Have not!"  
"Shut up!" Alec said, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "You were so close to a breakthrough!"

"What?"

"You were both close to realising what the issue is!"

"And what is that?"

"You're both so self-obsessed that you haven't bothered to check if your actions are impacting others!"  
Jace stood up. "What right do you have to say that I'm selfish?"  
"Every right! You're my parabatai, Jace, you're like another half of me - I know you better than anyone."

"Clearly not, if you think my selfishness is in any way comparable to Simon's."

"Hate to interrupt," Simon said, getting to his feet, "but just to fact-check you, you are one of the most self-obsessed people to ever grace the planet."

"Enough! Just stop fighting!" Alec yelled. "Look - we can't go anywhere until Magnus, Izzy and Clary find us. We can't risk going up the wrong part of the river. We're stuck here. And I'll be damned if I spend the entire time we're here listening to you two bickering. Come and talk to me when you're mature enough to admit you've screwed up."

And with that, Alec stormed off, into the forest, leaving Jace and Simon slack-jawed in his wake.

* * *

"Magnus! Stop!"

He didn't stop. He kept hurriedly walking. If he was lucky, he'd be with Alec within an hour. The day was plodding on, and he didn't want to spend a night apart from him.

"Magnus!" Clary's voice washed over him. He was too focussed on tracking Alec. The shirt still in hand, he closed his eyes once more, just to reassure him that Alec was still there - and there it was, the thumping of the heartbeat, the ringing of his voice.

His voice.

It was snappy, and angry, and raised in a hurt tone. Magnus slowed down. Something sounded wrong. Distorted, even. Like a video playing in slow motion, Alec's voice became lower, stretched out, unrecognisable. Magnus felt faint. The heartbeat was irregular, appearing every few seconds. The flashing images looked as if they had been overexposed on a camera, getting whiter and whiter, until the blinking white light occupied Magnus' entire vision and he…

"Magnus!"

His eyes fluttered open to meet Clary's. She was leaning over him.

It took him a second to realise he was lying on his back, on the floor.

"What happened?"

"You fainted."

"I did?"

"Magnus, you have to rest."

"Alec needs me," Magnus said - or at least, that's what he thought he said. As he made to say it, he sat up, and the world shifted uneasily around him. He tried to speak, but his mouth was empty and his words were jumbled.

"Oh no. Lie back down. We're not going anywhere anytime soon."

"But… Alec…"

"They'll be fine. It should only take you an hour or so to rest."

"What? We're not just going to sit here and wait… I can lean on you until I get my bearings back."

"No you can't," Izzy piped in from somewhere outside Magnus' field of vision. "We're not splitting up, and Clary can't support both of us at once."

"I'm fine. I really am," Magnus said, trying to sit up again, but Clary pushed him back down.

"No, you're not. You're paler than me, and your eyes are all weird. I don't know what you did to track Alec, but it was a bit much for your magic to handle."

Magnus wanted to refute that, to say there was nothing he couldn't handle, but his mouth was dry, and he didn't have the energy to swallow. Although he hated to admit it, he needed the rest.

But it was no big deal - it'd only be a few hours, right?

* * *

"Where are they?" Simon moaned to himself. He looked at his watch - it read 6:47. The sky was beginning to darken, ever so slightly, and the brisk chill of a summer night was setting in. He had spent most of the day sitting, alone, and thinking. He had thought of a multitude of things, including what he wanted on his tombstone if he was to die in the woods (he was thinking something along the lines of 'he came, he saw, he kicked its ass'), and was the risk of getting permanently lost in the woods worth the chance of finding Clary and Izzy again (conclusion: undecided). It was true - he had thought of many things. But there was something he was trying _not_ to think of.

Alec's words from before - _you're both so self-obsessed that you haven't bothered to check if your actions are impacting others._

Was he self-obsessed? He hadn't thought so, but he supposed self-awareness and self-obsession were seldom found together. He knew Jace was self-obsessed - that was almost as large a part of him as his name was, if not more so, considering how casually Jace changed his surname. But… both Jace and Alec thought that he, Simon Lewis, was being selfish. He could tolerate Jace's disapproval - he had to, all Jace did was disapprove of him - but Alec wasn't so flippant with his disregard. That meant that he _was_ self-obsessed, right? If Alec thought so?

What was he doing wrong?

He had heard what Jace said about him to Clary. He knew Jace thought he only thought of himself. Did he? He hadn't intended to make everything about him - he was simply concerned for his own wellbeing. He had every right to be - after all, he was a mundane in a crowd of elite Shadowhunters. No one else was going to look after him, so it was up to him. Right?

He thought back to the day before, when Isabelle had joked about making a spear to kill things. And then, she had looked at him, earnestly, and said _Simon, you do realise whose hands you're in, right? We're all trained warriors. We know how to survive._

 _We know how to survive._

Of course _they_ did - like she had said, they were trained warriors. But… the more Simon thought about it, the stupider it seemed that he had ever thought they wouldn't look out for him. They may have known how to survive, but they also knew a great deal about camaraderie, and they would never let him die.

Suddenly, all of the things Simon had done - be it taking in Neville, or keeping Jace awake to play truth or dare, or… or anything and everything he had ever done in his own self-interest - he regretted. The Nephilim may have been stoic, and have had an air of superiority, and at times, have been the most frustrating people to ever walk the earth, but they would never let a mundane like himself die. After all - protecting mundanes was their job.

Amidst the waves of guilt crashing down on him, however, Simon found one somewhat reassuring truth - Jace Herondale was self-centred too. It wasn't as if that was a secret - Clary had confessed that he probably loved himself more than he loved her. If he was selfish, though he hoped he wasn't, at least Jace Herondale was worse than him.

What a comforting thought.

* * *

Jace, too, was worried, but not over whether or not he was selfish. He had already gathered that he was, though he didn't approve of Alec calling him out on it (despite Alec's claims, Jace believed that parabatai were not for being honest with each other, but backing each other up). No - he was instead worried about Clary.

What was taking her so long? Surely, there had to be some end to their bad luck, and the river only forked once. Surely, the journey to find them was not so perilous that two more than capable Nephilim and the High Warlock of Brooklyn himself could not handle it. Surely, they _were_ looking for them, right?

That disheartening thought hit Jace like a punch to the face. What if they weren't looking for them?

 _Stop it, Jace, that sounds like Simon talking,_ he thought to himself, but he couldn't shake the uneasiness.

Clary would be looking for him, right? She was his girlfriend, one of his closest friends. He cared about her so very much - which was why, despite being stuck in the wilderness with an angst-ridden Alec and a petrified Simon, miles from any civilisation, he was concerned about her more than himself. He had been worried on her behalf since the commencement of the trip, and it wasn't too easy to distract Jace from his own troubles for that long. Yes, it was fair to say he was somewhat infatuated with her.

But… she liked him back, right?

 _Of course she does_ , Jace reassured himself. But after a while, his thoughts offered little confidence.

Did she think he was going to hit her? Maybe, she thought he _was_ , and maybe, out of spite, she refused to look for him. Isabelle… Isabelle wasn't afraid to call him out when he was wrong, and he knew he had screwed up (to a certain extent), so perhaps she wouldn't come after him either. And Magnus - well, after kinda-maybe-sorta tossing Alec involuntarily into a mess of his and Simon's making, he doubted Magnus would be all that keen on finding him either.

Huh. The more he thought about it, the less convinced he was that the others would come after him.

As the sun set, a chill ran up Jace's spine, but it had nothing to do with the oncoming cold.

* * *

Simon and Jace's anxieties paled in comparison to the storm of worry raging through Alec's mind. He was pacing, an unfortunate habit he had acquired, and rubbing his hands together so roughly it was beginning to hurt. But he didn't care - the pain distracted him.

Despite his efforts, he couldn't stop thinking about the others. Izzy, her tender ankle barely healed before she had to come searching for him, follow him through this mess that they had nothing to do with. Clary, her red hair getting caught in the branches as she had to weave her way through the nightmare of a forest they were lost in. Magnus -

Magnus.

Alec gulped, trying to recall other things, trying to recall the pain in his hands, the rustling in the trees, the throbbing of his headache, anything and everything but Magnus. All of the demons in the Void could not inflict a more searing pain than the thought of Magnus, stumbling around blindly, trying to find Alec. In Alec's mind, there was no question whether or not Magnus was worried about him - of course he was, he could barely tolerate the others without Alec's diplomatic presence - but instead his doubts were about Magnus' safety. He didn't doubt that Magnus was capable of defending himself, not at all - in fact, his frets centred around how far Magnus would go to find him.

Alec knew Magnus better than he knew himself. So, maybe he didn't know everything about him or his past - that wasn't what mattered. What mattered was that he knew Magnus' present. He knew his hopes, dreams, fears. And he knew what he would do for people he loved. He supposed it made sense - to Magnus, death was a mere suggestion, a guideline he would most happily stray from; of course he'd throw himself face-first into life-threatening situations. If Magnus loved someone, really, truly, wholly, Alec knew he'd go to any means to keep them with him.

Did Magnus love him as much as Alec loved him back?

Despite all of his modest inclinations, Alec Lightwood was not stupid.

Magnus Bane loved him with the intensity with all of his infinite self.

Then where was he?

 _Magnus,_ Alec thought, his headache pulsing as he stopped pacing. _Magnus. Where are you?_

* * *

"Alec?"

Magnus sat up groggily, preparing his eyes for the flood of daylight -

"Wait - why is it so dark?"  
"By the Angel, Magnus, you're alive!" Izzy exclaimed, relief flooding her face.

"I'm a freaking warlock! I literally cannot die! Why are you always so surprised that I have the capacity to wake up from sleep?"  
"Magnus, you've been asleep for _hours_."

He froze. "What? What time is it?"  
"We don't know. We don't have any means of telling the time. Clary tried making a sundial, and to my knowledge, she succeeded, but we can't read it anymore."

"Ah - speaking of, where is she?"

"Over there, by those trees. Clary!" Izzy got her attention. Clary turned around, her face weary, brightening only slightly when she saw Magnus' attempt at a smile.

"What were you doing?" Magnus asked.

"Nothing," she shrugged.

"The whole time I was asleep?" He asked, his tone becoming less gentle and more demanding.

"I tried to wake you."

"You did not."

"I did too, and Iz can attest to that," she snapped, sitting down next to them. "You were out cold. The magic must have taken a _lot_ out of you."

"So we're really still here, right? Not… with the others?"

"I wish," Izzy muttered.

"It's just… I thought I heard Alec."

"You must still have the tracking spell going. What did he say? Anything useful?"

"Nah… just… Jace's name," Magnus said, suddenly taking great interest in the leaves around him.

The conversation moved on, but Magnus didn't bother following. He didn't care to tell them, but Alec had indeed said something useful. Not to them, or their mission, but to him.

Alec had said his name. And by some indescribable magic, beyond his control, that had woken him up.

"Magnus?"

Izzy's gentle prod brought him back to reality.

"Hmm?"

"We were just saying that perhaps you'd like to take the first shift, seeing as you've been asleep all day."

"What? We're not going to find them?"

"Sorry? It's going to be dark in a matter of minutes. We'd never be able to find them, let alone find our way back."

"But…"

Silence settled around them. They knew what it meant. They'd be spending their third night in the forest separated.

"They'll be okay. All three of them have fought bravely in the past - there's no reason to think they wouldn't again," Izzy said, but even she seemed unconvinced. Magnus frowned. Yes, he was concerned for Alec, but seeing the girls so disheartened was troubling him more. Usually, he could turn to them for a glimmer of optimism, but their downcast eyes and awkward silence made something in him ache.

"You're right. They'll be fine. And don't worry - I'll take the first watch. I'll wake you in a few hours," Magnus said, nodding to Clary. "And then it can be Izzy's turn."

Although she seemed suspicious of Magnus' sudden change of heart, she welcomed his offer. "You can't go adventuring in the middle of the night, though. I know you miss Alec, but he won't be happy if you leave me and Izzy all alone in the middle of the forest, asleep."

Magnus smiled half-heartedly. "Don't worry, biscuit. I may be in love, but I'm not an idiot."

* * *

Night settled on the two groups. One was a small huddle, underneath a large tree - Magnus leaning against the trunk, with Izzy leant into one of his shoulders, and Clary into the other, both soundly asleep. His weary eyes scanned their dark surrounds, and his mind wandered, thinking, with bittersweet relish, of the night before.

The other group was spread out, a passive-aggressive silence thick between them. Jace was lying parallel to the river, right where the ground turned from mud to dirt. Simon was curled up next to a rock, hidden from sight. Alec was in between the two of them, with his back resting on a log and his legs stretched out in front of him. Although they all had their eyes closed, none was asleep. Despite the distance between the three of them, they could all see each other, and unbeknownst to all of them, each was watching the other two. Not out of spite, or wariness, but instead, to ensure that they were okay. As the night wore on, sleep took them out, one by one, until all of the day's melodrama seemed nothing but a bad dream.


	6. Epiphanies

Just for a second, Alec didn't recognise his surroundings. As he blearily opened his eyes to the light of the newly-risen sun, it was as if he was back at the Institute. But he was not - that much became evident after a few seconds. He sat up, running a hand through his hair, and feeling his shoulder ache. That was strange - Jace _had_ healed it, but it still hurt. Not in the same inflamed way as before, but in a different way. As if the pain was not in his skin, but in his muscles, in his bones. He winced as he stretched his arms, shaking them to wake them up from where they had lost the sensation of touch. In the course of the night, he seemed to have shifted so he wasn't leaning on the log, but rather lying parallel to it, and not only that, but he was pressed closely against the log, as if he was spooning it. He brushed the dirt off his clothes, out of his hair, and hoped to the Angel that nobody had seen that.

"You're missing Magnus."

Alec looked over to Simon, where he was sitting on a rock. There was nothing condescending about that statement, or inflammatory, or mean-spirited at all. It was simply a fact, and evidently, a fact worthy of wishing someone a good morning with.

Alec shrugged. "Yeah. You're missing Isabelle and Clary."

Simon smiled a little. "Not in the same way as you're missing Magnus."

Before Alec could say anything, Simon continued. "I miss Izzy and Clary, don't get me wrong. Of course I do. You do too. Even Narcissus over there would. All of us are missing the others, and I'd like to think they're all missing us too. But the thing about missing someone is that often, you don't really miss them. You just miss their company. I miss Izzy's company. I miss Clary's company. But you… you miss Magnus in a different, more wholesome way. You miss _him._ You're worried for his safety, not your own. You're… you really love him."

Alec felt his face go red, not because Simon was talking about Magnus, but instead because Simon was focussing so much attention on him. He began to shrug, to shake his head, but all he could manage was a jumble of weak gestures.

"So what?"

It came out more defensive than he intended, but he could tell Simon didn't take it to heart.

"You really miss him. Wow. Alec… I think I'm ready to admit I… screwed up. Majorly. I _have_ acted selfish, I know, and… and I can't even bring myself to truly miss _Clary._ And she's my best friend. I've acted like an asshole, I haven't given much consideration to how you feel at all, and seeing as it's about 50% my fault you're in this mess, I want to apologise."

Alec smirked, clearly enjoying Simon's dramatic flair, and gestured with his hand for him to continue. The apologetic grin dropped from his face.

"What else do I need to do? I mean, I thought it was just Magnus who had that thing with choreographed apologies, but I could always do some sort of impromptu interpretive dance if that would help sell my point."

"As amusing as that would be," Alec said, "I'll spare you the embarrassment. I simply meant that there was someone else you needed to apologise to."

"Who?"

"Take a stab in the dark."

"Is it like… Jesus or something? Because I'm Jewish, so - "

"Jace. It's Jace."

"No. No. Just… no."

"Simon," Alec said in a warning tone. "Jace deserves your apology just as much as you deserve his."

Simon froze, frowning, obviously displeased with how true Alec's sentiment was. If Alec watched closely, he could see the subtle shifts in Simon's expression as he debated with himself as to what he was should do.

After much deliberation, Simon cast a cursory glance at Jace, and relief flooded his face. "It doesn't matter now, anyway. He's asleep."

"He won't be for long," Alec said, and with that, he picked up a rock and pegged it at Jace. Simon yelped in surprise, but the rock fell short of Jace's face by a few centimetres. Alec smiled smugly, having aimed perfectly, and enjoying Simon's startled exclamations. Jace's eyes flickered open, and he hurried into a sitting position, reaching for where his seraph blade should have been.

Simon looked, impressed, at Alec. Alec grinned. "If you ever want to wake up a shadowhunter, just throw something at them. Their cat-like reflexes will usually jolt them awake."

Jace realised what had happened, and turned his sour expression to Alec. He flipped him off half-heartedly. Alec smiled cheerily, waving at him. Jace rolled his eyes, and stood up, brushing the dirt off his clothes.

"Simon… do you have something you want to say to Jace?"

Alec looked over to catch Simon's panicked expression. "Uh… now? Like… right now?"

Jace seemed mildly interested now, and his casual expression of superiority had again taken residence on his still-bruised face.

"Yes. You're in the zone. You're ready. Go forth, young padawan. May the force be with you."

Simon smiled, and Alec clapped him on the back. There was nothing like a nerd reference to boost Simon's confidence.

"Uh… Jace. I am… sorry, I guess? I apologise for… being… what was that word you used, Alec?"

" _Simon_ ," Alec said calmly, indicating for him to continue.

"I just want to get the word right, you know? Okay. Selfish? Was it? Or no - self-obsessed. Scratch that. Selfish sounds a little better, doesn't it? Okay. Sorry for being a bit selfish. I didn't intend to. I just… don't want to die, you know? I mean - can you blame me? Dying… you know, it's not… fun…" Simon trailed off, kicking at some leaves at his feet.

Jace laughed to himself, but when Alec's expectant gaze turned to him, he too found tremendous interest in the dirt around him.

"Do you want to say something in response, Jace?"  
"Not really."

"Jace."

"Alec."

" _Jace._ "

" _Alec._ "

A series of hurried glances passed, Alec raising his eyebrows, challenging Jace to be mature. Jace shook his head in response, his eyes widening in concern. Simon looked up to see more wordless communication ensue, with Alec's expression becoming more and more unimpressed. After a while, Jace cleared his throat, and maintaining eye contact with Alec, began to apologise.

"Simon - "

"I'm over here," Simon said, enjoying his forced apology. With a glower, Jace redirected his gaze towards Simon.

"Simon," he said, pausing to allow any further interjections. When none came, he continued. "Simon. Um. I guess I'm sorry too."

He nodded, looking at Alec for approval. He found none and instead received an eye roll and a condescending stare.

"Fine. Right. Well. I… assume that some may… describe my prior behaviour as… somewhat selfish. If, on the off chance, you… agree, uh - sorry. There."

"Jace." Alec's tone was flat and bored.

"Look, mate, I fucked up. Okay? So did you, but you know that. It's both of our fault. Great. Alec, I'm sure I speak for this dipshit as well when I say that I am sorry for this whole mess. You deserve better than us."

"Cool it with the melodrama, Jace, I just wanted sincerity." Alec winked at Simon, who was duly taken aback at Alec's confidence. As Alec began to walk away, head held high, Simon turned to Jace, who was equally confused.

"What's up with him?"

Jace shrugged. They stood in silence for a second, until the awkwardness became unbearable, and Jace picked up a rock.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Jace smiled as if he and Simon were sharing an inside joke. "Let's see how Alec appreciates being used as a target."

Simon barely had time to respond before Jace pegged the rock at Alec, where it landed a few centimetres short of his feet.

"Asshole," Alec called out, barely looking up.

"Love you too, buddy."

* * *

Clary woke up slowly, almost refusing to admit that she was awake. But when she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see daylight instead of dark.  
"Huh?"

Magnus, who she was still resting on, looked at her. "Good morning, biscuit. How was your night?"

"You didn't wake me up," she whispered, her voice still asleep.

Magnus made a small noise of admittance, but he shrugged it off. "I figured I'd let you sleep."

"Did you wake Izzy?"

"Nah."

"What - did you - "

"I couldn't sleep. Don't make a big deal of it."

"You didn't have to. It's not as if Izzy and I aren't capable of - "

"Don't flatter yourself, hon. I just wasn't tired. I had all of yesterday to sleep."

"You didn't… go off anywhere?"

"Of course not," Magnus said, laughing quietly. "I may be besotted, but I'm not stupid."

Izzy made a small noise, as if her sleeping self wanted to contribute to the conversation. In her peripheral vision, Clary saw Magnus look at Izzy with a gentle kind of adoration. A familial kind of adoration.

"Magnus?"

"Mhmm?"

"They're okay. I know they are."

As awkward as it sounded to say out loud, Magnus' grateful smile made her feel better. She had taken a while to get to sleep, wracked with anxiety over the others - she could only imagine how much worse it was for Magnus. Not only was he apart from Alec, but his magic, that could have led them straight to him, was failing him.

"I don't want to disturb Iz, but … we should probably get going soon," Clary said, sitting up and instantly missing the comforting warmth of Magnus' chest against her shoulder. He nodded, and ever so gently shook her awake. Izzy woke quickly - she hadn't been fully asleep anyway - and stood up. Her ankle was still tender, but she gave no indication of that. She was just as fearful as them for the safety of the others, and though both Clary and Magnus assured her that her injury wasn't an inconvenience, she knew that if she was outwardly in pain, it'd stress them even more. And so she put on a brave facade and walked around as if the throbbing pain of her ankle was no more of a hindrance than a rock in her shoe.

They had no food, so it didn't take them long to begin moving again. The river was a relatively straight line, curving gently every now and then. The ease at which they were able to navigate it made Clary worry. If it was so easy to walk along the river, then why the hell had the others not made it back?

Magnus was worried too. They hadn't wanted to risk tracking the others again, for fear it would weaken him further. So, they were just clinging to the hope that they had had the sense to stay put, wherever they were.

They walked in silence, all lost in their own thoughts, before Isabelle said, "we should probably make noise. You know… in case they hear us before we see them."

"Good point," Clary agreed. "What should we discuss?"

"Magnus?" Izzy asked.

He turned around. "What? Discuss me? Well, if you insist, but it could get a little awkward."

"I was asking if you had any suggestions. You're usually one to know what to talk about."

Magnus laughed, and soon Izzy and Clary did too. They were tired - all of them, completely fatigued - and they just needed a chance to calm down.

"Okay, then. Hmm. Let's… huh. I'm really not sure."

"That's a first," Clary mumbled.

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Fine, Clarissa. If you have anything to discuss, be my guest."

She shrugged. "We could play a game."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Izzy asked.

"FMK?"

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "What on earth is that?"

Clary and Izzy shared a smug smile. "I have a feeling you're going to like this game."

* * *

Now that a degree of peace had been restored, the tension had mostly resolved itself. That, however, didn't change the fact that they were bored. Jace had found a sturdy, horizontal branch, and was doing chin-ups. Alec was pacing. Simon was watching them both with a mixture of confusion, admiration, and boredom.

The sky above them was white, bright but covered in clouds. There were darker clouds to the east, threatening to rain on them, but Simon figured they were half an hour or so away at least. They had time.

"Sixty-eight…" Jace finally released his grip on the branch, covered in sweat. His face was flushed red from the effort, but he seemed so content with himself that it almost looked effortless. The bruise on his face had turned dark, with an unappealing yellow undertone. Simon didn't have time to look away before Jace caught him staring.

"Jealous, mundane?"

Simon shrugged. Of course he was, a little. Not only was Jace superhumanly strong, but he still managed to look attractive when half of his face looked like a bruised banana.

"How many do you reckon you can get in?"

Simon stood up and took off his hoodie. There was something condescending about Jace's asking that he needed to address. He was strong, right? He could get at least forty.

Or so he thought.

Jace whistled lowly, a look of feigned surprise on his face. "Well then. You've got sixty-eight to beat."

"Piece of cake," Simon muttered.

When Alec stopped pacing and turned around, he noticed two things. The first was that Simon was suspended from a branch, trying to pull himself up, his face red and contorted into a strained expression. Secondly, Jace was watching him amusedly.

"Is Simon doing chin-ups?"

Jace nodded. Simon, who appeared to be using all the strength that he could muster, succeeded in pulling himself up once more before falling limply back to where he had begun.

"How many has he done?"

Simon was panting, the redness in his face bleeding down to his neck, sweat patches on his t-shirt.

"Four."

"And a half," Simon added breathily.

Alec looked at Simon, at his pathetic attempt at fitness, and at Jace, who was enjoying it a little too much.

Something in him wanted to scream and slap both of them, because how the hell could they be doing chin-ups at a time like this? What if the others were lost, or hurt, or worse? What if?

* * *

"Can I say that I'd sleep with all three of them?"

"No, Magnus."

"Why not?"

"That's just not how the game works. We've told you that already."

"I don't like this game us much as you thought I would," he admitted.

"That's because you're not playing it right," Clary said.

Izzy nodded. "You can't just keep asking to sleep with everyone. It doesn't work that way."

Magnus shrugged. "Fine. I say we talk about something else, then."

"If you can come up with anything, be my guest."

Silence fell, but something about it seemed almost calculated. Isabelle looked at Magnus, who was staring with determination ahead of them. She caught Clary's eye, who nodded subtly. Magnus had something he wanted to say. He was just waiting for the right time.  
"Well," he began, still staring ahead. Clary had never seen him this flustered when Alec wasn't around.

And then, it clicked.

Alec.

"Isabelle… I don't really know why I'm so nervous… wait a sec…"

Izzy glanced at Clary, her eyes wide and excited. Magnus wrung his hands. "Okay. Okay. God, I'm so nervous over nothing. I just want to know… uh… if I was to… I don't know, _hypothetically_ ask Alexander to move in with me… would he… agree? Hypothetically, of course, because - "

He didn't get to finish because Isabelle had almost barrelled him over with a hug. "Yes! Of course he would!"

"But… the Institute…"

"Ha! Don't worry about that. We'll cope without him around. It just means he won't be hogging the training room so often."

Magnus' nervous smile grew in size and confidence until his own grin was bigger than Izzy's. "Holy shit. Okay. I'm going to do this."

Clary was beaming too, and she joined in the hug. Maybe, in all of this tumult, there _was_ something worth celebrating.

There was a peal of thunder, loud and interrupting, and before anyone could make anything of it, rain began to fall.

* * *

Simon let go of the branch, the rain making it too hard to hold on any longer.

"Quitting?"

"I call interference. I would have been able to do more if there was no rain."

"Sure."

"How much did I get all up?"

"Eleven."

Simon looked at the ground, defeated. Jace sighed.

"When I first started training, my personal best was eight in a row."

Simon looked up. "Yeah, but you were what - ten years old?"

Jace shrugged. "Yeah, well, you haven't had all that much practice. Up until now, you've been coasting on vampire strength. But don't worry. All this means is you can improve."

Simon raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry - did I mishear you? Did you just… _encourage_ me?"

"Drop it," Jace said lowly. But Simon did not.

"Alec! Alec! Guess what! Jace just tried to inspire me!"  
"Shut it, mundane."

"Alec! Hey - "

"Are you kidding me?" Alec snapped. His confidence from the morning was quickly wearing thin, as it was almost midday and there was still no sign of the others. Simon's amused smirk quickly faded.

"Sorry, Alec, but - "

"Just… by the Angel, just stop! Aren't you _worried?_ At all?"

Jace frowned. "Hey, Alec, don't - "

"Don't what? Worry?"

"Don't freak out," Jace said. "Everything will be okay."

"But they're… they're still not here…" Alec trailed off, panic overtaking his words. Simon gulped - he had never seen Alec so stressed. The rain was falling in fat droplets, and they left streaks down Alec's face as they washed the dirt away. Jace was calmly talking to Alec in a low voice. Simon had to admit - there were times when he doubted how close the other two were (including the past day or so), but seeing them now, so focused on each other, Jace so determined to calm Alec down - it was as if the parabatai bond was visible.

In those moments, when Simon was watching them so closely, he felt the acute, crushing feeling of being powerless.

Was he so selfish for wanting to be useful?

Was he so selfish for wanting to be involved?

Over the ever-growing roar of the river and the booming thunder that filled the valley they were trapped in, Simon heard something.

Something faint, but high-pitched.

A voice.

A voice he knew better than anyone else.

"Clary!"

* * *

"Oh God."

They stood there, the three of them, staring at the river. Their celebrations had been interrupted by rain, and as they had picked up the pace and made their way downstream quicker, Isabelle had spotted something. Another branch of the river, just across from them, coursing angrily in the thickening storm.

"The river… it forks…"

"They have to have waited somewhere near here, right?"

Clary looked at Magnus, who was standing in solemn silence. He noticed her staring and coughed a little. "At least we know why they haven't found us yet. They wouldn't have known which branch to go up."

"Or they went up the wrong one," Izzy said breathily.

Clary closed her eyes. This was bad. She just needed to think.

She just needed -

"Clary!"

Her eyes snapped open.

"Was that - "

"Clary! Izzy! Magnus!"

Isabelle turned to Clary. "That's Simon. That's Simon!"

Clary didn't need Isabelle's confirmation - she had already run to the river, scanning the surrounding banks for the others.

And, like a beacon in the dark, there Simon was, standing on the opposite bank, waving with a mad grin on his face. "Clary!"

"Simon! Are you guys okay?"

"Couldn't be better!"

She laughed in spite of herself. They were okay, they were _safe_. She had had no reason to be so nervous. The lump in her throat had almost disappeared. Simon was there, bags under his eyes, glasses missing, clothes muddied, but God, he was safe, he was okay, he was… he was _there._ Part of her wanted to cry.

Simon was tearing up, too. _Clary._ He had missed her, so incredibly much, even if it was just her company that he felt the absence of. He wanted to cross to her side of the river, but the current was getting stronger with the rain, which was still falling, in fatter and fatter drops. By this point in time, Jace and Alec had realised the others were there and were running out to greet them. Jace stopped at the water's edge, his face flooded with relief.

"You're okay?"

Clary nodded. Izzy had hobbled her way over to where she was standing and was holding her hand to her mouth. She, too, was speechless with relief. She was tired, so incredibly tired, and seeing their trek come to an end - it almost made her legs give way.

Simon took a deep breath, trying to focus. Okay. Now all that they needed to do was cross the river. Before he could think of a way to do that, however -

"Magnus!"

Jace's startled cry brought him back to the real world, to see Magnus running, full pelt, straight into the river. Isabelle gasped. "Magnus! Stop! The river's too strong!"

But he did not stop. He flailed his way through the raging water, half running, half swimming, trying, by any means possible, to get across.

Alec stumbled out onto the bank of the river. He did not see Clary, or even Isabelle. He did not see Jace or Simon. All he saw was Magnus struggling to get across to him. He was fighting against the river, and he was losing.

Alec felt dizzy - he had dreaded Magnus putting himself on the line for him, and there he was, about to be swallowed by the rushing water. His heartbeat echoed through his head as he steadied himself. _Magnus,_ he thought, and that was the only thought reverberating through his tired mind. _Magnus._

Alec was not, by any definition, stupid. In fact, out of the group, he was one of the most, if not _the_ most, logical. But in that second, he made what was probably the most illogical decision in his life.

He threw himself into the river too.

Isabelle screamed, and Clary had to hold her back before she dove in too.

"Alec… Alec…"

Clary shook her head. "It's okay, Iz. He'll be okay."

Alec was taller than Magnus, and broader, meaning he could hold his own better against the current. Magnus was almost completely submerged, struggling to stay upright. Despite having a full day of rest, he still wasn't as strong as usual. The rain bucketed down as both fought their way into the middle of the river, Alec's eyes locked on Magnus, Magnus fighting to stay afloat.

Jace was so petrified by seeing his parabatai, his brother, his _best friend_ fighting against a coursing river that he didn't realise what he was doing.

Simon was so completely rapt in the scene in front of him that he barely noticed Jace's hand find its way into his.

Alec could see Magnus up ahead of him. He was so close.

 _Magnus._

 _It was everywhere, roaring, tumultuous, piercingly cold and breathtakingly loud._

Another peal of thunder and the valley around them echoed. But Alec didn't hear it.

 _It was big and grey and everything he could see._

He found Magnus' wrist, but before Magnus could give any indication of realising that, he was pulled under the water.

 _He fought, fought for air, fought his way to the surface._

 _Magnus,_ Alec thought, _Magnus,_ the name running through his head like a mantra as he swam with all his might to the other side of the river, holding his wrist with vice-like strength.

 _He became aware of something, another force, pulling him away from the direction of the tide._

He was almost there, almost on the other side, the water getting tantalisingly shallow. Part of Alec felt he wouldn't make it, because the river was too strong, too _fucking strong,_ but then -

 _With all the strength he could muster, he followed that force._

Magnus was kicking too, pulling Alec as much as he was towing him. They half swam, half stumbled -

 _until the seemingly bottomless river spat him up on the riverbed._

* * *

All Alec could do was breathe. he was vaguely aware of someone - maybe Isabelle - holding his face in their shaky hands. His eyes focussed and saw his sister kneeling above him, eyes red-rimmed and awash with relief. In his peripheral vision, he could see Clary saying something to Magnus, and him nodding in response.

 _He's okay._

Jace made to run his hand through his hair, to play off how stressed he had been, but he found his hand occupied. He looked down to see himself gripping Simon's hand so strongly that his knuckles had turned white. Simon, finally able to snap his eyes away from the river, looked down too.

"Oh."

His first thought was to be defensive, to pretend it was a joke, or even to play it off as something for Simon's benefit, but he didn't have it in him. His eyes met Simon's.

"Don't tell anyone."

"I won't."

"I was afraid."

"I know. So was I."

Jace smiled half-heartedly. "You're a good kid, mundane."

"You too, pretty boy."

They laughed, both giddy with relief, and Jace clapped Simon on the back.

 _Well then,_ he thought.

Magnus blinked to clear his vision. His eyes were still clouded by the murky water. The red-headed one had been reprimanding him for being so stupid, but he hadn't paid enough attention to care.

There was only one thing his aching head would let him think. _Alec._

He rolled onto his side, to see Alec, his chest rising and falling heavily, eyes clenched shut. His hand was still gripping Magnus' wrist as if he was afraid of letting go.

"Alec."

He opened his eyes and looked at Magnus. The heart-wrenching relief he felt was spelt out on his face.

"You're so incredibly stupid."

Magnus smiled weakly. "Thank God I have you around then, right?"

"But when I'm _not_ around," Alec said, his voice breathy but his tone chastising, "what are you going to do then?"

Magnus shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to have you around me all the time. Do you want to move in with me?"

Alec sat up, the fatigue that had shaken him vanished in an instant. "Really?"

"Of course."

He laughed, as if this wasn't an oddly timed request. As if their current circumstance was perfectly reasonable. As if they hadn't just almost died.

Magnus faltered - Alec hadn't actually said yes just yet, just laughed, and that could mean anything - but his proposal was answered, completely and utterly, when Alec leant down and kissed him.

Right there. In front of everyone. Despite the rain, the chill of damp clothes, the dirt, the noise. Alec kissed him, with all the sincerity he could muster, because _of course he would._ He would, he would, he would.

* * *

"Well… what do we do now?"

Simon turned to Jace. "Huh. I was _just_ going to say that."

"Just because you don't suck completely doesn't mean I want to be all telepathic matchy-matchy with you, okay? Cut the 'thinking in unison' shit."

"Oh."

"And seriously. What do we do now?"

Simon shrugged. "We could wait for the rain to stop."

Another clap of thunder, louder than before, swept through the air. The rain itself seemed to pelt down harder, just to spite him. "Or not."

"Hey! Simon! Jace!" Isabelle was waving at them from the opposite bank. "You're going to have to swim!"

"Wait - what? No. No. Not at all. Not in a million years."

Jace smirked. "Come on, Simon. Let's see if you can redeem yourself after those pathetic chin ups."

"This is dangerous, and unsafe, and I'm… I'm not having it."

"Fine. Suit yourself."

Before Simon could convince him otherwise, Jace threw himself into the river. Unlike Magnus, he had made a torpedo shape and was swimming, so he was moving faster, but the current was beginning to pull him downstream. Simon looked up at Isabelle, who looked back with a pleading expression, so clear he didn't need his glasses to see it.

"Simon."

It was Clary who said it. Clary, who would never wish anything but good on him. Clary, who would fight for him until his death. Clary, who was now looking at him, with all of the earnest truth she could hold in her gaze, and asking him to swim across.

 _Clary would never let me get hurt._

And with that, he threw himself in too.

His entrance into the water wasn't as smooth as Jace's, but that proved to be to his advantage, seeing as the friction between his feet and the rocks kept him anchored upstream. Jace was still floating downstream. If Simon was to continue as he was, he'd make it to the other side. But would Jace? He looked up and, amongst the dirty water crashing against his face, he saw Clary looking concerned. Not for his safety, but for Jace's.

And so, against his better judgement, Simon picked his feet off the bottom of the river.

The surge of the current swept him quickly downstream, close enough to where Jace was still paddling futilely. He wrapped an arm around Jace's ankle, and found his footing again. This was a conundrum that couldn't be solved through strength, but instead, through physics.

If Simon hadn't been on the brink of further ruining Jace's and his lives, he would have taken a moment to smirk.

With his arm still tightly coiled around Jace's leg, he turned them so Jace was parallel to the flow of the river. Despite Jace's kicking and attempting to free himself, Simon's grip remained secure. Now that the surface area going against the force of the water was less, Simon pushed himself off the rocks at the bottom of the river, using the friction between it and his shoes to haul them both upstream. Jace had stopped kicking, but Simon was somewhat certain he was still conscious.

He got to the bank, and finally, Jace rolled himself onto the dirt shore. They took a moment to catch their breath, lying side by side in the dirt.

Simon waited for Jace to congratulate him on his application of science, but all he did was glance at Magnus and Alec and say, "If you try and kiss me right now, I will punch you in the - "

"Simon! You did it!" Clary bundled him up in a hug, smiling brightly.

"What did he do that I didn't do?" Jace asked.

"Use his head," she said, smiling. Before Jace could reply, she raised her eyebrows. "I know you think it's unfair when he gets praise and you don't but you have to understand that he just saved your life, so…"

"In his defence, if he hadn't have gone in first, I wouldn't have either. He does get some credit. For… you know. Bravery."

Both Clary and Jace looked at him as if he had just confessed to murder. Jace coughed. "Wait… did Simon Lewis just compliment me?"

"I don't know. Did Jace Herondale just refer to me by my _actual name?"_

"Touché."

Isabelle walked over. "Are these two fighting again?"

Clary shook her head slowly, looking confused. "No… they're just… passive-aggressively… complimenting each other, I think."

Simon ignored her comment and got to his feet. "Thank God you guys are okay."

Clary hugged him. "We were more worried about you - I mean… if you guys had gotten lost, or had… drowned…"

He squeezed her tightly. "We're okay. We're all okay."

She breathed a sigh of relief, sinking into him slightly. "That's good. That's all I care about right now."

She leant back. "Wait - where are your glasses?"

He shook his head. "No idea. I think they got lost in the river. Don't worry - I, uh… have a spare pair in my bag."

"Oh. Which ones?"

"They're… uh… new. In a way."

She smiled. "Something tells me this is going to be entertaining."

Before he could respond, Izzy tapped Clary on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear. She nodded knowingly and winked at Simon, leaving the two of them to be. Izzy smiled.

"All of the training in the world can't beat physics, huh?"

Simon shrugged. "What can I say?"

They stood in happy silence for a second, before something in Simon clicked. Something in him that had been afraid that he didn't care as much about Isabelle as he should. And so he looked her in the eye (or at least, as close to her eyes as possible - his vision _was_ a little off), and said, "Actually, I know what I can say. Isabelle Lightwood, you're a wonderful person, and I know your ankle still hurts but you ran to the river anyway. I saw you. I've been pretty selfish these past few days, and you haven't been anything but kind to me, but for some reason I doubted that. I haven't appreciated anything that you, or anyone else, has done to make things easier for me. God. I'm sorry."

"You're not selfish, Simon," she whispered.

"I am. Or at least, I can be. When I'm afraid."

"You shouldn't be afraid. You're with us. You're with _me_."

"I know," he breathed. _You're with me._ He couldn't see her well, but he could hear her, smell her, feel her warmth from where he stood. "I'm with you."

There were times when Simon could be socially awkward. He had never been good at reading body language, or noticing social cues. But in that one moment, he didn't even need to see to know exactly what to do.

It didn't matter who leant in first. It didn't matter who wrapped their arms around the other one first. All that matter was them, there, seeing without vision, and kissing like they were afraid of never seeing each other again.

* * *

Clary sat down next to Jace. Jace rolled his eyes. "Well, alright then."

"What?"

Jace smiled. "What? You aren't looking to join in the make-out fest?"

She shoved him playfully. "Not yet. We have to talk first."

"Oh God."

"Don't worry. You don't have to say much." She took a deep breath and turned her whole body to face him. "Jace… I don't know if you guys talked about this while you were… you know… here, but you… Wait. Let me start that again. You're not selfish."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not. You're not selfish. Self-obsessed, maybe a little. Narcissistic, sometimes. But not selfish. Because a selfish person wouldn't throw themselves into a river to get to their loved ones. A selfish person, no matter how stupid, would never go to the extremes that you're willing to go to for people you care about. So, maybe Simon isn't always the dork you want him to be, and maybe, the close proximity to him for so long is freaking you out. No one can do anything about the fact that you two don't always get along. But most importantly, you can't think that your minor flaws will ever get in the way of others caring about you."

She paused, looking for some indication that she should continue. Jace was frozen. He hadn't told Clary any of these sorts of things. She had just known. He gulped. "Clary - can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Why did it take so long for you guys to get here?"

"Magnus tracked you, but his magic was weak and it drained him. He slipped into this sort of magic-coma. When he woke up, it was night time. And today, we got here as quick as we could."

Jace, eyes downcast, mumbled something she couldn't make out.

"What was that?"

"So you _were_ looking for us."

"Of course we were."

"I just… I was just worried that you weren't. I was just worried that you didn't want us anyway."

Her expression was soft and sympathetic, and as stupid as Jace felt saying that out loud, she didn't seem to consider it invalid.

"Jace. Look at me. I would never abandon you. You could be the most flawed person to ever exist, but I would still fight until I got to be by your side. Everyone have flaws, but flaws don't forfeit the right to be loved. The need to be cared for."

"Not everyone has flaws."

"Oh yeah?" Clary nodded towards Magnus. " _He's_ completely blind to danger when Alec is involved. Alec? He's afraid of letting everyone down. Izzy would die before she had to admit she needed help with anything. Simon is afraid of going out of his comfort zone, and he gets panicked, maybe even a little selfish, in his own self-interest when he does."

"And you?"

"Me? I have tonnes of flaws."

"Like?"

She looked at his exasperatedly like there was an obvious answer to that question. "You know. I… I don't know my limits. I think I'm capable of such great things but that's completely unrealistic."

"So what? You aim high. You take risks. You like a challenge. That doesn't sound like a flaw at all."

"Any flaws sound okay if you paint them well enough. I mean, you could argue that Magnus is just really in love with Alec. Alec just wants to be what everyone expects of him. Izzy is independent. Simon works best when he's comfortable. I'm a 'risk taker'."

"And me?"

"You're such an incredible person even _you_ can't help falling in love with you."

He laughed, a short, honest laugh, before regaining his composure. "Not quite there yet, I'm afraid. A bit _too_ cheesy."

She rolled her eyes. "Ha ha. Very funny. I'll work on it."

* * *

Miraculously, there were dry towels back at the camp. They had gotten soaked in the first night, but as they had been stored in tents, they had dried over time. Not all of their belongings survived the deluge - a bag containing camping supplies, such as a torch and a few other obscure items, was drenched with rain. The other belongings had been safely stowed in tents by the girls after Magnus had first run away, for fear of them being stolen or eaten by wild animals.

And speaking of wild animals.

"Neville!"

Even without his glasses, Simon could make out the furry little creature, still loyally guarding its new territory that was once Jace and Simon's tent. The exhilaration that their group had shared at finding each other quickly dissipated at the sight of Neville's squinty face.

"I thought it would have died by now," Alec whispered. Magnus narrowed his eyes.

"Maybe it's a demon."

"A demon? It's probably Lucifer himself."

The two chuckled to themselves, and went to get changed. Jace turned to Clary and Izzy, his face pleading.

"Come on. You two can get through to him. Just tell him to get rid of the rat."

The girls exchanged reluctant glances. Neither wanted to have to be the one to open Simon's eyes.

Finally, Izzy gave in, and with an impatient flick of her hair, she approached Simon.

"Hey, Si? Uh… where are you sleeping tonight?"

He looked at her funnily, trying to focus his eyes without glasses. "Um… with you guys?"

"Sorry to break it to you, but both you and Jace aren't going to fit in a tent with the two of us. Hell, even if we split the group in half, we'd struggle to fit in two tents. You need your tent back."

"We could sleep on the floor," Simon retorted defensively. Izzy shook her head sadly.

"It's too muddy."

"But - "

"This tent _could_ be salvaged - with some elbow grease, of course. But it would mean - "

"Evicting Neville," Simon gulped. "I don't know if I can do that to him."

The understanding smile dropped from Izzy's face. "What do you mean, you don't know if you can do that to him? Simon, he shredded your tent and shat everywhere. I don't know much about renting houses, but any decent landlord would be pretty pissed off, don't you think?"

"You can't blame him - he's an animal."

"Exactly. He's an animal. He's not meant for tents. He's meant for the wild."

His physique sagged as he sighed, he was so dejected. But his reluctance meant one thing - Izzy had gotten through to him. Perhaps it had taken a near-death experience, but Simon was finally seeing things in perspective. Clary smiled. Good for him.

Simon knelt down, took a deep breath, and gently scooped Neville up. To him, Neville looked betrayed, devastated, begging for forgiveness. To everyone else, Neville just looked like he normally did - ugly. With a gulp, Simon shakily got to his feet, walked over to a nearby tree, and softly placed Neville down. The squirrel scrambled away without a second thought. Simon's dramatically pained expression disappeared. "Huh. I guess he didn't appreciate our bond as much as I did."

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Come on, Romeo. Don't mind Rosaline - you'll find yourself a Juliet one day. Now come and help me salvage this tent."

As Izzy set to work on the tent, Simon caught Clary's eye. She tried to smile reassuringly, but instead he looked at her with wide eyes. "But… Romeo and Juliet _die…"_

* * *

The boom of thunder made Jocelyn flinch. Luke glanced at her from the driver's seat, careful not to divert too much attention from the road. It was raining heavily, and he didn't fancy getting into a crash.

"You don't have to be so tense, Jocelyn."

She didn't pay him any heed, and began picking at her nails anxiously. Luke sighed. "Any sign of them?"

She looked out the window at the woods as they drove past. "Not yet."

An uneasy silence descended upon them before Jocelyn mumbled, "I'm so afraid for them, Luke."

"That's it."

He pulled the car over to the side of the road, where they could stop safely. He turned to her, his brow creased with worry. "Hey. _Hey._ Look at me."

Reluctantly, she did. He smiled reassuringly, but her pained expression stayed put.

"They're going to be okay."

"It's been three nights, Luke. _Three nights._ Anything could have happened."

"I know. But they have food. They have tents. They have supplies. And most importantly, they have each other."

"But what if they do something stupid?"

"Come on. Do you really think Clary would let them do something stupid?"

"You know her, Luke. If anyone paints it as enough of an adventure, she'll go along with it."

"Fine. What about Simon?"

"Simon? He'll do whatever Clary says."

"Alec, then. He may be a bit… prickly on the outside, but he's a good kid, and despite his disagreements with Clary and Simon, he'd never let harm come to them."

"But what about Jace? Isabelle? Magnus? They're all prone to irrational behaviour, and I'm just worried that - "

"Jocelyn. It'll be okay. You're worried about a few trained warriors and an immortal warlock getting hurt. They'll be okay. And do you remember what the police said? They said they were looking for them, but it may take them a while. So all we can do is hold on, okay? We just need to wait it out."

Jocelyn looked at him, her eyes glinting slightly with tears. "I know, Luke. But you can't sit there and tell me not to be afraid for their lives. They're kids. They're _children._ I know that they're warriors, and that they can handle themselves, but that doesn't mean it hurts any less that they're gone."

"I know," Luke admitted. "I'm afraid too."

She reached out and took his hand in hers, and was surprised to find that his was shaking slightly. He laughed nervously, flicking his eyes back to the road. The rain was pattering down on their roof, a tinny drumming sound that filled the gap left behind by their silence.

There was only so much that they could do.

And so, without another word spoken, Luke drove them back to the campgrounds as thunder pealed once more.


	7. Answers

Most of the day passed, in a surprising turn of events, uneventfully. The rain continued to fall, until it had dampened everyone's spirits so much that no one felt much like arguing anymore. Clary and Izzy had kept to their own tent, content to talk to just each other - less drama seemed to come of that. Simon was now sitting in his tent, which had recently been rescued from Neville's desolation. Magnus was asleep, regaining the energy he had spent. Jace and Alec were sitting in the tree that they had sheltered under on their first night, ignoring the persistent rain.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?"

Clary turned to her as she idly played with Izzy's hair as they lounged in their tent. "Mhmm?"

"Would you have gone into the river after Alec? If I hadn't held you back?"

Izzy blinked, frowning in confusion. "What do you mean? Of course I would have. I would have dived in without a second thought. He's my _brother."_

 _"_ But he's capable of looking after himself - you know that."

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "Yeah, but… but I'm just afraid that one time, _one time,_ he's going to not be okay. And it'll only take one time, and that'll be enough to just… ruin everything."

As if something inside her clicked, she snapped her eyes open, and flashed a reassuring grin at Clary. "But I don't want to spend too much time focused on such… depressing issues. Let's talk about something else."

"What is there to talk about?"

"You know? I have no idea." Izzy frowned, laughing to herself. "I've grown up talking to Jace and Alec. Jace doesn't say all that much if he's not talking about himself, and Alec doesn't say all that much, period. Other than that… I always go into conversations knowing what I want to say beforehand."

"I know, right? I mean… I talk to Simon, but we just talk about whatever - it doesn't require any thought beforehand. I've never really had a D&M with anyone but him - or at least, I've never had a D&M just for the fun of it with anyone but him."

"What's a D&M?"

"Wait - what? You don't know what a D&M is?"

"Don't mock me, just tell me."

"D&M. Deep and meaningful. It's just a conversation that you have with someone when you want to learn more about them."

"Wait - there's a word for that? Every day of my life comes with a side dish of learning more about others - and most of the time, it's involuntary."

"Well, sometimes it can be fun just to discuss things that you normally wouldn't. You get to know the person who you're talking to better."

"Alright, then. What do we talk about? Boys?"

"I would, but you're dating my best friend, and I'm dating your brother, so that would get awkward fast."

"Ha. Okay. I would make an incest joke, but - "

"Don't even go there. Okay. What else? We could talk about…"

"Actually," Izzy said, sitting up. "I _do_ have an idea."

"Oh yeah?"

"If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?"

Clary thought for a second. "Home."

"I mean… if we weren't in a forest. If we were just in a normal circumstance. If you could go _anywhere._ At all."

"Hmm… maybe Florence. Then I could go to the Uffizi, or the Accademia - I could see David! And all of Botticelli's work - I _love_ Botticelli. And Giotto!"

Izzy beamed. "Art nerd."

Clary shrugged. "What can I say? And you - where would you go?"

"That's the thing," Izzy replied. "Whenever I'm asked that kind of thing, I just… I've never wanted to travel the world for its destinations."

"Really? You don't want to go anywhere?"

"Of course I want to go places. But not to see sights. Not for the sake of being there. I like going to Idris because there are people I know there. I like New York, because… well, I live there. I'd come with you to Florence, but not to see _Davide._ To hang out with you. The world is a wonderful place, but wandering aimlessly around it… doesn't make sense to me."

"But if you had to go somewhere alone, for no purpose other than to look… where would you go?"

"I wouldn't."

"But if you did?"  
Izzy sighed. "I'd drive out into the middle of… I don't know, a desert somewhere. I don't mind. And I'd sit, and stare at the night sky, and just… breathe."

"I reckon we could see stars from here. I mean… at night. When it stops raining. We're far enough away from big cities to avoid light pollution. You'd probably be able to see miles and miles of infinite sky."

Izzy lay back down, her head in Clary's lap. There was certainly something intimate in this gesture, but not in a sexual way - instead, it was a shared vulnerability, a confidence and a trust in each other. Izzy closed her eyes, slowly exhaling out of her nose, letting a gentle smile twitch at the corners of her mouth. Clary couldn't help but notice the bags under her eyes, the tiredness that plagued her even when she was resting.

 _What's so exhausting about rest?,_ she wondered.

She didn't even consider that Izzy's ankle was still sore. She had almost forgotten it. In fact, most of them had, which was exactly what Isabelle had wanted. The pain that still throbbed through her foot concerned her - shouldn't she have healed by now? - but she wasn't going to let anyone else know that. They had nothing to worry about for the time being - why not enjoy that rare occurrence while it lasted?

* * *

"No way."

"Come on. I could do it."

"As if. It's way too far away."

Jace scoffed. "I'm going to do it."

Alec sighed, and changed his grip on the branch, which had become too wet to hold on to. "I don't think you can, but I know that whatever I say, you're going to do it, so get it over with."

With a cocky wink, Jace took the branch he was holding and hurled it across their little oasis. It fell to the floor with a clatter just short of Clary and Izzy's tent, which was at least eight metres away from the branch they sat on.

"Ha."

"I blame the rain. It interfered with my trajectory."

"Your trajectory? Really? If we're looking at this through a physics lens, don't you think you should have considered the aerodynamics of the stick?"

"Shut up. You sound as nerdy as Simon."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment. But seriously - there's no way that stick would have made it. It's the wrong shape for throwing, it's too light, and the weather makes it even likelier for the throw to go wrong."

"Why are you only telling me this now?"

Alec shrugged. "I told you that whatever I said, you wouldn't have listened."

"Fine. If you're so smart, why don't you try it?"

"Try what? Ignoring the obvious in favour of my own ego?"

Jace's shove nearly knocked Alec off the branch. "I meant try hitting the girl's tent."

Alec shook his head, regaining his balance. "Why piss them off?"

"What - so you think you _could_ make it?"

"I think I have a likelier chance than you," Alec replied. Jace raised his eyebrows with a disbelieving smirk.

"Alright then, William Tell. Show me how great your aim really is." He handed Alec a twig, even thinner and lighter than the one he had shown.  
"I can't throw this."

"Why? Because you know your throw is going to be worse than mine?"

"Because this little twig won't make it a metre before it gets knocked out of the air by a drop of water. It's pathetic."

"You're pathetic."

"Good one. I'm feeling the burn," Alec deadpanned, casually scouring the branches for a thicker, sturdier twig.

"Come on, then. If you can make this stick hit the girls' tent… I will owe you a day of service."

"What are you on about?"

"If you hit their tent, I am your servant for a day. At your disposal. I will do whatever you ask of me, without question."

"Jace, I appreciate the offer, but I don't want a manservant. I don't want to throw this stupid twig."

"Don't be a killjoy. In fact, I'm just warming up to this. I'll offer you a deal - if you get this stick to hit that tent, I'll be your slave for the day. If I get… _this_ stick to hit that same tent," Jace said, plucking a twig of similar dimensions from the tree, "then you're _my_ slave for a day."

"And if neither of us get it?"

"Then we both walk away as free men."

Alec rolled his eyes. There was no way either stick would make it - they were both far too flimsy. There was something in Jace's eye, a glint of mockery, a hint of slyness, that suggested a confidence in his ability to win this. Alec wasn't big on betting, but he was even less of a fan of Jace's smug contentment, as if he had already won.

"Just to clarify: we each have to throw the stick from here, where we're sitting, and it has to hit that tent. Right?"  
Jace nodded, his smirk still in place. Alec frowned. What loopholes could there be?

"You first," Jace said.

"Why not you?"

"Alphabetical."

When Alec's concerned frown didn't budge, Jace pouted mockingly. "What? You think I'm going to cheat?"

"I think it's impossible to get it across without cheating."

"I don't. I think you could do it."

Still scowling, Alec threw his branch as far as he could across the tents. Despite being lighter than Jace's previous one, it landed in about the same spot - a foot or so short of the girls' tent.

"See?"

Jace nodded, acknowledging Alec's attempt, and then, with a mischievous grin, hopped out of the tree.

"What are you doing? You agreed we were throwing from up here."

"I know," Jace replied, stooping to pick up a rock. From his pocket, he pulled a length of string. _It must have come from one of the ropes,_ Alec thought to himself. Jace tied the rock to one end of his twig and scaled the tree to get to where Alec was sitting.

"That's cheating."

"No, it's not. The deal was to get the stick from here, to the tent. At no point in time did we say it had to be _just_ the stick."

Stubborn grin still in place, Jace tossed his newly-weighted twig at the tent. It landed on the roof, bouncing off the stretched canvas and falling to the floor.

"Piss off, Jace," Izzy called from inside the tent. Jace, however, could not have been happier.

"I outsmarted you."

"You cheated."

"No, I outsmarted you. You even tried to make sure there were no loopholes and I _still_ bested your intellect. Ha! And to think - you were mocking me before about not listening to science. Take that, you underperforming nerd! Beaten by an oblivious, egocentric jock. This is amazing!"

Alec didn't share the same opinion, but his withering glare didn't bother Jace - in fact, it made it all the funnier.

"And guess what? You're now my slave for the day! This is great!"

Alec pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed deeply. "Let's set some boundaries for the slave thing, okay?"

"You should have set them _before_ you lost."

"Be reasonable Jace. I only suggest that we agree to: 1. No hurting anyone. 2. No ruining my life. Okay?"

Jace considered it. "Okay. But I have a condition of my own - you can't tell anyone that you're my servant. You just have to do what I say, without that as an excuse."

"Piss off," Alec mumbled, but Jace still waited, expectantly. He groaned in exasperation at his parabatai's stubborn insistence. "Fine. But only for 24 hours."

"Starting midnight tonight, ending midnight tomorrow night."

Alec, who by now had developed a headache just thinking about the chaotic 24 hours to come, stuck out his hand. Jace shook it enthusiastically, laughing to himself.

This was going to be _epic._

* * *

Simon was thinking. Hard. But not about anything too intense, no - he instead was thinking about what he was going to eat when he got back to civilisation. He had eaten some soggy bread just before, but that wasn't enough to distract him from how hungry he was. Perhaps he would have a hamburger and fries. Yeah - a warm, juicy hamburger with crispy golden fries. That sounded… perfect. If he closed his eyes tight enough, he could visualise it perfectly. And almost… _smell_ it. Actually…

Actually.

He _could_ smell it. His eyes sprung open, sniffing the air. It was there. It was really there. It wasn't some… olfactory hallucination, it was _real._

He scrambled out of his tent, ignoring Jace, who was cackling maniacally, and Alec, who was rubbing his temples in pain. He followed his nose, stumbling around the tents to find the source of the delicious aroma.

He was so focused on the scent that it took him a second to realise where he was going. His common sense stopped him before he walked straight into Magnus' tent in pursuit of the smell.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Alec jumped down from the tree, looking happy to be given an excuse to get away from Jace's growing gleeful hysteria.

"Can't you smell it?"

" _What?"_

"The… the hamburger…"

"Don't be ridic-" Alec froze mid-word, sniffing the air. "Wait. Wait. I smell it. You're right."

"Simon's right? Since when?" Jace dropped down from the branch, landing gracefully in the mud.

"Can you smell a hamburger?"

Jace froze, frowning. "Actually? Yes. I can. What the hell?"

In unison, they turned to face Magnus' tent. Simon looked at Alec, gesturing for him to go in. With a frustrated sigh, he opened the flap of the tent and climbed in.

* * *

"Don't get mud in the tent."

"Wait, _what?"_

"Is it so ridiculous for me to try and keep the outside _outside?"_

"Not that, _that."_ Alec pointed at the hamburger sitting in Magnus' lap, warm and inviting as still uneaten.

"Oh - this?" Magnus tried to play it off casually, but it was obvious he was proud of his accomplishment. "I just… _magicked it here."_

"Really?"

"Yes!" Magnus' face broke into a genuine smile, excited at his magic's return.

"How long did it take?"

"Longer than usual, I'll admit, but hey - it's a start! And I don't feel like I'm going to faint, so that's an added bonus!"

"Do you think you'll be able to get us back up to the road?"

His smile faltered. "I… I don't think so."

"That's okay. That's fine. As long as you're okay, I couldn't be happier."

The reassuring sentiment was quickly drowned out by Alec's stomach rumbling. Magnus chuckled. "Do you want it?"

Alec looked at the hamburger. He hadn't noticed how hungry he was until now. They hadn't eaten much in the past few days - with the adventure and the getting lost, they hadn't had much time. Additionally, the wet weather made it hard to set fires, so they couldn't cook any of the food they had brought. A hamburger would be welcome.

"Nah, it's alright. You eat it."

Alec's answer surprised Magnus. He'd never admit it, but he'd surprised himself, too. But he had meant what he said. Magnus still looked tired, albeit a little less sickly, and he had eaten as much as Alec had. He deserved it more.

"We can share."

"If you insist," Alec accepted, indicating for Magnus to take the first bite. He almost forgot where they were - in the middle of a forest, rain bucketing down, caked in mud and grime. It seemed like they were already in Magnus' home - _their_ home - having idle conversation over lunch.

This illusion was interrupted, however, by the tent flap opening and Simon and Jace clambering in.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we overheard you saying you were going to eat the hamburger, and we couldn't let you do that without us."

"Hey! You're getting mud everywhere!" Magnus attempted to push them back out, but once that had failed, he scooched to the other end of the tent to get away from their dirtiness. Alec was still processing Jace's statement.

"You 'overheard'? You were listening?"

Jace shrugged, as if saying 'what can you do?'. "There's a hamburger involved. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"So, how are we going to do this? Quarters? I think that's fair," Simon decided, reaching for the burger, which Magnus held as far away as he could.

"No!"

"Magnus is right," Alec said. "If we're going to share this, we're _all_ going to share this. Get the girls."

Magnus glanced at Alec. "Right. Of course. That's what I meant."

With a reluctant groan, Jace leant out of the tent and began throwing whatever he could get his hands on at the girls' tent.

 _What is it with shadowhunters and throwing things?,_ Simon wondered.

After a while, Clary poked her head out of their tent. "What's your problem?"

"Food! A hamburger!"

"What?"

"Magnus has food."

She retreated back into their tent, and stumbled out with Izzy, running as fast as they could to escape the persistent rain.

"Wait - are they coming here? There's no room!"

The lack of space did not stop the girls, and after a brief struggle, the six of them were crammed into the two-person tent. Magnus, still protectively cradling the hamburger, was squashed against the far wall, his knees drawn up to his chest and his back against the wall. Alec was sitting perpendicular to him, his feet touching the opposite tent wall, with Magnus' feet underneath the arch his legs created. Jace was sitting next to Alec, legs crossed, with Clary sitting in his lap. Izzy was sitting to his left on the opposite wall with Simon on her lap. It was by no means a comfortable set-up, but the overwhelming closeness that they shared was kind of… nice.

Magnus cleared his throat. "Who wants first bite?"

"You should get it," Izzy said. "After all, you got it here. You deserve it."

After checking to see what the consensus was, Magnus took a bite. "Oh God. I've missed fast food."

Simon frowned. "We've been here for three days. You don't eat fast food that regularly."

"Shut up. I'm trying to eat."

Next was Alec, as an impromptu congratulations for his new living arrangements. He bit into the other side of the burger. After only two bites, it had already diminished in size. As grateful as they all were for the warm food, they knew, in an unspoken way, that this wouldn't be enough to live off. Clary went next, and Simon couldn't help but notice how little she ate. Perhaps it was because she had a smaller mouth than Magnus and Alec, but he suspected otherwise. Then, it was Izzy's turn, because although she refused to go anything but last, Simon and Jace refused to eat before her. With a scowl, she took a bite.

"I know I'm in no position to criticise here, but pickles? Really?"

"I'll eat them," Simon offered. Jace looked at him, disgusted.

"You like pickles?"

"Of course."

"You monster."

Simon went next, and handed the measly remains of the burger to Jace. "Cheers," he said, holding it up before eating it.

"Uh… Magnus… as much as I appreciated that, and I'm sure we all share the same gratitude, I think maybe…" Izzy rubbed her hands together, trying to think of the right words. "It's all well and good to get warm food, but if your magic is… _finite_ right now, perhaps instead of hamburgers, you save it up so we can get out of here."

Magnus glanced around the crowded tent. Everyone seemed to agree with her. "Okay. I'm trying - I really am - but I don't know if I have enough magic in me to move _people_ yet. It may take a few days. But I promise, with all of my heart, that I am trying. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Clary said quietly.

"As long as you're okay," Izzy agreed.

"If you need to practice, though, feel free to conjure up more hamburgers."

" _Simon_ ," Clary hissed.

Magnus winked at him, making him feel a little better. "Well, now that that's done, do you lot feel like giving me some space? I feel like a pretzel."

They all looked at each other. No one felt particularly inclined to move. Although it wasn't conventionally comfortable, the tent was better than the drizzle outside.

"Who wants to play a game?"

Everyone looked at Simon. Surprisingly, the first response came from Jace, and even more extraordinarily, it wasn't an insult.

"What kind of game?"

"Truth or dare," Simon suggested. Jace smirked.

"Sure."

"I'll play," Magnus decided, looking at Alec imploringly. He sighed.

"Fine. Me too."

"I guess if we're all doing this, I will too," Izzy said.

Clary nodded. "Ditto."

"Right, then. Who goes first?"  
Jace turned to Simon. "You can go first."

 _Uh oh._

"Truth or dare?"

"Dare," he said, noticing the malicious glint in Jace's eye. He wasn't sure whether or not he had told Alec about his confession the other night, but he wasn't keen on having to reveal it in front of Alec _and_ his boyfriend.

Jace looked around, open for suggestions. Clary smiled. "Put your glasses on."

"That's a shitty dare," Jace replied, but Simon didn't hear him other his increasingly noisy heartbeat. Oh God. He had dreaded this.

"He lost his glasses in the river," Izzy explained, but Clary shook her head.  
"He said he had another pair. I've never needed glasses, but I imagine being able to see is quite useful. I don't know why you haven't put this mysterious 'other pair' on yet, Simon, but I'm interested to see them."

"Do I have to?"

"Well, now that you've shown how reluctant you are, yes," Jace ordered.

With a sigh, Simon stood up and left to his tent, getting spattered with rain as he did so.

Clary didn't know what she thought the glasses were going to look like, but she wasn't prepared for what they were. Simon returned, and everyone but Jace managed to keep in their laughter. The glasses had a tortoiseshell cat-eye frame, and were, most decidedly, feminine.

"They're my mum's. She was worried that I'd lose my glasses so she gave me her spare ones just in case."

"That's beautiful," Jace ridiculed, clapping his hands as he laughed. Clary scowled at him until he stopped.

"Is the dare over? Can I take them off yet?"

"Don't you want to be able to see?" Izzy smiled sympathetically.

He groaned, and sat down, glasses still on. "Fine. I get to choose who goes next, though."

"Sure," Jace said, as if he had the right to determine who went when. Despite their newfound tolerance, he was still infuriating. Simon wanted to embarrass Jace, but he knew that whatever he asked, Jace would answer with confidence and conviction. He couldn't choose Jace just yet - he had to wait for a weakness to appear.

"Alec."

"Truth," he responded, without being asked.

"Any suggestions?" Simon looked around the group, his gaze falling on Magnus, who was smiling to himself. "Magnus? Do you have a question?"

Alec exhaled. "Shit."

"Alexander, I have a question for you."

"Technically, I think Simon's meant to be the one to ask me the question."

"I'll say whatever Magnus says. Let's not waste breath here."

Alec scowled at Simon.

Magnus cleared his throat. "Out of all of the crushes that you've ever had, who is your most embarrassing?"

Alec glowered half-heartedly at Magnus, trying to divert attention from the question. When Magnus raised his eyebrows expectantly, Alec rolled his eyes.

"Well, I've had two major crushes in my life, and both of them are in this tent. But there have been a few… little crushes, here and there, that are kind of… fleeting. You know? Like when you're in a shop and the cashier is cute and you get one of those momentary crushes."

"I hate it when that happens," mumbled Izzy. Alec took that as a reassurance, and continued.

"It used to happen to me all the time, which means there are plenty of embarrassing ones I could choose, but… there was this one time, when I was twelve-ish… by the Angel, why am I telling you guys this? Okay. God. Right.

"So. I was at the mall - you could have been there, Iz - and we were clothes shopping with mum. And anyway, it was lunchtime, and there was this new café open, and they had all of these really delicious-looking sandwiches in the display, so I asked mum if I could have one for lunch. She said I could, so long as I ordered it and everything. By the way - I was a really shy kid. She knew that. And you know mum - any 'character flaw' you have can be fixed through a little effort. So after much protest, I finally agreed to do it, even though I hated talking to people, because she said there was no other way I could get lunch.

"So I went up to the counter, and as I waited in line, I rehearsed what I was going to say about a million times. I still remember what it was - 'Good morning, can I please get a BLT sandwich?'. So I got to the front of the line, and it turns out the guy manning the cash register was really cute. He must have been like… fifteen or something, I don't know, but he was young, and he was _cute._

 _"_ And I just… completely messed up what I was supposed to say. I said 'good morning', and then froze, so he awkwardly said 'good morning' too, and then I remembered I was ordering, so I said 'can I have a sandwich please?' and he said 'sure, which one?'. And get this - instead of saying 'BLT', I said 'you know the one with bacon and tomato and… lettuce?' and he said 'a BLT?' and I was like 'yeah,' and there was this awkward pause, and then I remembered that I had to pay him. God, it was so awkward. And worst of all, I turned around, and mum had been watching the entire time. In that moment, I think I saw her hope in me being as confident as either of you guys die."

"I remember that day!" Izzy said. "You went completely red during lunch, and I had no idea why! Aw, Alec, you were such a cute little introvert."

"Thanks," Alec replied sarcastically. "That means a lot."

"Who's next?" Simon asked loudly, trying to be heard over Magnus' laughter.

"Jace," Alec decided. Simon nodded in agreement. If anyone could figure out how to embarrass Jace, it'd be Alec.

"Truth or dare?"

"Dare," Jace responded, running a hand through his still-wet hair. "Bring it on."

The corner of Alec's mouth twitched into a smile. An 'I'm going to get you back' sort of smile. Jace's confidence levels waned slightly. _Oh God._

"Kiss Simon."

"What?"

Simon started coughing - it appeared he had choked on air or something like that. That dare had taken him by surprise. Yes, he wanted to embarrass Jace, but he didn't want _this._

"You heard me. Kiss Simon."

"I'm not going to make out with this twat… look at him, he can't even breathe properly."

"You don't have to make out with him. Just… kiss him on the cheek or something. I don't know. Whisper sweet nothings in his ear and give him a peck on the forehead. You choose."

Simon looked to Izzy for her to back him up, for her to refuse for this to happen, but she just laughed amusedly. "Go on then."

He turned back to Jace, who had a pained expression on his face. With an exaggerated sigh, he leaned in, and awkwardly stroked Simon's face, to fill in time before he'd have to kiss him.

"Come on, Jace," Alec teased, obviously enjoying his parabatai's discomfort. Both Simon and Jace turned to him to give him a disgusted look. Jace turned back first, and seeing as Simon was facing away from him, took the opportunity to lean in and kiss his cheek. But Simon, blissfully unaware of Jace's decision, turned back just at the last second -

And Jace kissed him on the lips.

It took everyone a second to register what had happened before Jace sprung back in shock.

"What the fuck?"

"Wait… what?"

Jace wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, looking at Simon with wide eyes. Simon stared right back, mouth slack, still processing what had just happened.

Isabelle was the first to laugh, which neither Jace nor Simon found comfort in. Clary, who was crouching as opposed to sitting in Jace's lap for the sake of the dare, started giggling too, so hard she lost her balance and fell over. Magnus let out a short burst of laughter, which seemed to prompt Alec's chuckles. In fact, after a few seconds, the entire tent, even Jace and Simon, were in hysterics.

"That was… _beautiful,"_ Magnus joked, wiping a fake tear from the corner of his eye. "So perfectly done."

"Well, if you liked it all that much, then you can go next," Jace decided snappily. "Truth or dare?"

"Hmm… I don't fancy kissing anyone here other than Alexander, so truth."

"Okay… if you weren't dating Alec, and you had to date someone here other than Alec, who would you choose?"

Magnus frowned. "Can I choose Alec?"

"I just… I just explicitly said you couldn't…"

"Fine. Okay. Hmm." Magnus glanced around the tent, uncomfortably assessing everyone. "Right. I don't particularly want to date any of you - no offence - but if I _had_ to… I wouldn't date blondie, because you get on my nerves too often."

Jace scowled.

"Same with Samuel."

Simon sighed. He didn't know why he was disappointed - it wasn't as if he wanted to date Magnus.

"It would be too strange dating Isabelle, given the fact that I'm dating her brother, and I assume we're not… killing Alexander, right? Which would mean if I dated Isabelle, I'd have to see him all of the time, and still date his sister, which I couldn't do. No offence to you though, Isabelle."

She beamed at him. Jace glowered at her.

"So that leaves… biscuit, I suppose. It's not as if I'd choose you because you're the least of a few evils, but… no, no, that's exactly why I'd choose you. Yet again. No offence. But like I said earlier I'm not keen on dating any of you, so I wouldn't take it personally."

"Don't worry," Clary agreed, "I don't think any of us could picture dating you, either."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Magnus decided, and began scanning the room for the next victim.

"Isabelle!"

"Dare," she said, without a second thought.

"Marvellous! Hmm…"

"I have one," Jace said smugly, bitter over how much she had laughed at his misfortune. "I dare you to go outside, find some mud, and rub it all over your face."

"That's disgusting and childish. How old are you? Five?"

"What? I've seen you at the Institute. You use all kinds of weird shit as a face mask. I'm pretty sure you even have a mud one. What's the issue?"

"There's a difference between a mud mask and actual mud. If there wasn't, no one would buy mud masks, they'd just go get it for free."

"I don't care. Do it."

"Magnus?" She looked at him pleadingly. He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Sure. Do that."

"Really?"

"You don't have to keep it on. There's plenty of water falling from the sky - just wash it off straight afterwards."

Izzy muttered a string of profanities under her breath, and shuffled to get out of the tent. "Jace, just so you know - if my face breaks out because of this, I break _your_ face. Okay?"

She didn't give him time to respond, because she was already outside. Simon held up the tent flap so they could see her, and gave her a weak thumbs-up. She rolled her eyes.

"The things I do for you guys. Alright. Here we go."

She found a puddle of mud, and, with a final glare at Jace, began scooping up tiny handfuls of mud and gently rubbing them onto her face. The rain meant it was washed away almost as soon as it was applied, but there was dirt streaked down her face and neck by the time she was finished. She tilted her face up to the sky, getting wet in the deluge.

"Wait," Magnus whispered, "is she coming back in the tent?"

"I guess she is…"

"Oh God. Close the flap, Simon! She'll bring mud in!"

Before Simon could register what Magnus asked of him, Izzy had climbed back in, dripping water and mud and dirt everywhere. There was dirty residue left on her face that the water hadn't washed off, but despite that, she still looked flawless. She grabbed her ponytail and wrung it out onto the floor of the tent, just to spite Magnus, who audibly whimpered at the sight.

"Happy?"

"Damn. Okay. Who's next?"

"Clary," Isabelle said, her malicious smirk turning into a warm smile. "Truth or dare?"

"I don't fancy a mud facial, so truth."

Before Izzy could say something, Magnus piped in. "Isabelle, as much as I admire your camaraderie with Clarissa, you look like you're going to be too soft on her. I have a question that may be a little less forgiving than whatever it is you're about to ask her."

"Oh shit," Clary muttered, looking at Isabelle for some comfort, but she just shrugged helplessly.

"Biscuit - you've kissed both Jace and Simon, yes?"

"Oh God."

"Who kisses better? Jace or Simon?"

"Really, Magnus?"

"Of course. We've all had to do or say embarrassing things. Your turn."

"Ugh. Fine. Okay… no offence Simon, but I'm going to have to say Jace. Sorry."

"Ha!" Jace raised a fist in triumph.

"None taken. To be honest, I would have been more concerned if you had chosen me," Simon admitted.

"Whose turn next?"

"I think we're back to you, Simon," Alec said, shuffling so he could lean closer in to Magnus.

And so, the cycle began again, and the six of them learned more than they had ever thought necessary about each other. They stayed cramped up in the two-person tent until well into the night, at which point Magnus decided there was no use getting up, and they fell asleep where they were, an unbreakable Gordian knot of friendship.

Sleep settled rather quickly over them all - albeit one. Alec took a while to get to sleep. Not out of fear, or stress, or paranoia, but instead because he wanted to relish his few remaining hours of freedom. Starting at midnight, he was Jace's manservant for the day, and judging from the calibre of questions that he had had to answer, Alec was going to be enacting vengeance on a few people.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes. There was no use staying up late and fretting over the day that was to come. Jace would be reasonable, right?

* * *

 **A.N. : Hi guys! Sorry for the delayed upload - I'm trying to stick to a weekly schedule but I'm not great with time management. Anyway, I'd just like to use this opportunity to thank everyone who has reviewed this fic! I appreciate your feedback greatly and I do try to incorporate your suggestions into the plot! If you have any ideas about what you want to happen next, please let me know in a review!**

 **I just want to thank the following for their lovely reviews:**

 **\- reemarie36  
\- sophiecampbellbower (thank you for your continual reviews! They're all so flattering! I'll try and add more Clace and Sizzy as the story progresses)  
\- nicolaclair  
\- ILOVEYOUCLACE  
\- annieherondalelightwood (thank you for your consistant reviews!)  
\- Ab446  
\- Fangirlshadowwolf  
\- Regina  
**

 **Yet again, thank you all so very much for your feedback. If you have any thoughts or ideas for how this story should turn out, please let me know! All feedback is heard and appreciated :)**

 **Have a wonderful day!**

 **Love from the Potterhead From Middle Earth xxx**


	8. 24 Hours of Hell

Warning: melodrama below.

* * *

"Hey."

Alec's eyes snapped open. He hadn't been kidding when he'd told Simon about Shadowhunters waking up easily when startled. It was still dark in the tent, but he could make out the fuzzy shape of someone crouching over him.

"I can't tell if you're awake or not."

Alec groaned internally. Great.

"Alec?"

"Be quiet before you wake everyone else up."

Jace chuckled under his breath. "I knew you were awake."

"And might I ask _why_ you're waking me up at this ridiculous hour?"

"I checked Simon's watch."

Alec froze.

"It's 12:01."

"Don't do this to me, Jace. Let me sleep a little longer."

Jace laughed slyly. "No can do."

"Why not?"

"Justice never sleeps, my friend."

Alec, still groggy with sleep, blinked a little, processing what Jace had just said. He didn't have time to ask for clarification before Jace grabbed his hand and began pulling him out of the tent. In his half-asleep state, Alec stumbled across the tangled bodies, praying silently that no one would wake up - it was unfair, but he couldn't use Jace as a scapegoat. Once he was outside, the chill of the night air wrapped itself around him. It had stopped raining, but everything was so wet that Alec still felt damp.

"What did you say?"

"Huh?"

"Back there, in the tent. What did you say? I'm just checking I heard you right."

Jace grinned sheepishly. "Justice never sleeps."

"Listen, Batman, I don't know what you're planning, but if you're going to use the next twenty-four hours to get me to do your dirty work - "

"That's exactly what I'm going to do," Jace said, nodding to himself. Alec blinked, clearing his vision. He was dreaming. He was still asleep. Jace hadn't just dragged him out into the middle of the forest at a minute past midnight to use him as a vigilante pawn. It was all an illusion.

Alec yawned, and turned back to the tent.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to sleep," he said, beginning to clamber in. _It's all just a dream,_ he told himself. But then he felt Jace's hands on his waist, yanking him backwards, away from the tent. That had felt real. There was no doubt about it. This dream - _or rather,_ he thought, _this nightmare_ \- was, in fact, a reality.

"I don't think so," Jace muttered, zipping the tent shut. "You and me have business to attend to."

"You and _I._ "

"What?"

"You said you and me. It's you and _I._ "

"Be careful or I'll make you a target on my hit-list too."

"Can I ask exactly who _is_ on your hit-list?" Alec ventured as they walked into the blackness of the forest at night. The moon hung high above them, the light bright but tantalisingly scarce through the canopy.

"It's best you don't know."

"If I'm going to be enacting 'justice' against someone, I want to know who it is before I have to do it. I need to brace myself for the repercussions that, may I remind you, _I_ will have to deal with on _your_ behalf."

"Fine." Jace turned to him, his expression sombre. "It's everyone."  
"What?"

"Every single person in this group has wronged me in some way or another, and today, we are going to right those wrongs."

"Excuse me? What has Izzy done? What has Magnus done? In fact, what has Clary done? Has anyone actually 'wronged' you other than Simon? Has Simon even wronged you?"

"It's best you don't ask questions," Jace murmured, striding away. Alec sighed.

"What's wrong? Are you regretting losing a bet to me?"

"To be honest, I kind of thought that today would be me getting you food, or massaging your feet, or… I don't know, serenading you with the sweetest of nothings. I don't know, and frankly, I didn't care. But… this? Really? If you have so much pent-up angst and aggression inside of you that the only way you can express it is through becoming some sort of crime lord… we need to talk."

"Later, manservant," Jace ordered dismissively. "I'm not wasting my twenty four hours talking. But just for the record - I do not have issues. I just thought this would be the most fun way to utilise your servitude. Although," he said thoughtfully, "a foot massage would be nice."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere we can discuss plans without being seen by the others. They can't know I'm in on this with you. It has to look like it was all your idea."

"If you weren't my parabatai, I'd kill you. Genuinely."

"And I love you too, Alec, but let's save these charming sentiments for later. Right now… we have work to do."

* * *

Isabelle woke up before sunrise, which surprised her. She usually wasn't much of a morning person. When she was little, she used to wake up as early as possible every day, and then she discovered the joy of sleeping in, and abused the luxury of late-morning starts whenever she could afford them. In fact, on her days off, she never woke up before nine o'clock, unless -

Her eyes were still adjusting to the dark, but she didn't need to see to know that the boys were gone. Of course they were. She sighed, going to sit up but remembering Simon asleep on her lap. Okay, so she wouldn't be able to go and find them. She just had to think logically - where would they be?

Judging from how quietly they had left, it had to have been voluntary. From her years of experience, she was almost certain that whatever had compelled them to leave had been Jace's idea. But why would Alec follow suit? Unless Jace was in a degree of danger, or he was contractually bound, there was no way Alec would be so stupid. Jace was most likely not in danger - not at this hour - so Alec must be under some sort of obligation to Jace.

 _Great._

She'd just have to remember to look out for anything suspicious when the day rolled around. Until then, however, she'd get as much sleep as she could.

* * *

Simon woke up to someone tousling his hair. Huh. That was unusual. He opened his eyes - the room was still mostly dark, with a sliver of light let in through the half-open tent flap. He didn't need much light to see that the person gently caressing his face was kneeling in the entrance to the tent. That was strange - he could still feel Izzy asleep underneath him. Someone other than his girlfriend was fondling his hair.

He could already tell that it was going to be a very strange day indeed.

"Are you awake, gorgeous?"

If it hadn't been for the deadpan delivery, Simon wouldn't have realised it was Alec talking to him. He blinked once more. Perhaps he was still asleep, and dreaming. Perhaps he had unknowingly ingested a large quantity of LSD and was now on a spectacularly absurd acid trip.

He continued to blink, waiting for his vision to clear and Alec's hunched shape to disappear. But it didn't.

"Wait, what?"

"Shh," Alec said, awkwardly resting a finger on Simon's lips. He couldn't help but notice that Alec was enjoying this even less than him, if that was possible. "Follow me."

Who was Simon to say no?

Once outside, Alec turned to him, his expression bored and reluctant. Simon put on his glasses, at which Alec stifled a grin. _Good,_ Simon thought, _there's still something normal in him._

"I've been thinking a lot lately, Simon."

"What's new?"

Alec continued as if he hadn't heard him. "I've been thinking about _us."_

"Alec. What's going on?"

"I've seen the way you look at me," he murmured, his eyes darting across Simon's face as if he was trying to send a message with his eyes alone. Simon couldn't help but think he looked like someone had taken him hostage and he was trying to communicate with a gun pointed at his head.

"Alec. Seriously. Are you okay?"

His expression softened into a half-hearted grin. The intensity that he had tried to convey with his eyes was gone. "I'm always okay when you're around, my love."

That was it.

"Jace is involved in this, isn't he?"

"Shh," Alec purred, stepping closer to Simon. He was so incredibly uncomfortable that he considered punching Alec and running as far as he could before he passed out. But that wouldn't end well. "Jace doesn't have to know."

"Alec. Tell me plainly. What is going on?"  
"I know you have feelings for me, Simon."

"So Jace told you, did he?"

A flicker of doubt crossed Alec's face. "Uh… of course he did. But I was able to figure it out myself, too. Don't be afraid, my love. I feel it too."

Simon felt himself blushing, but not out of embarrassment - hell, he didn't even care that Jace had told Alec about what he had said a few nights ago. No, he was blushing because Alec was standing so close to him that he could feel the warmth of his breath through the chilly morning air.

"Alec. Please. You have Magnus. I have Izzy. Think about this. I don't know if you're… under the influence, or something, but if I can't appeal to your common sense then I want you to think of Magnus."

Alec hesitated. He widened his eyes, his hostage-like expression reclaiming his face. He didn't want to do this. That much was evident. But Simon was bewildered as to how he was supposed to help.

"Magnus," he simpered reluctantly, "doesn't have to know."

If the warning bells in Simon's head were any louder, they'd be audible from where Alec was standing. He was frozen, confused and worried, as Alec slowly leant down and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"What the fuck, Alec?"

"It will all be clear soon, my love. Don't say a word to the others. They don't need to know." Slowly, he backed away from Simon, an apologetic grimace on his face that was replaced in a second by a smarmy grin.

"Where are you going?"

"Would you like to come and see?" He asked with a wink. Simon shook his head, and climbed back into the tent as fast as he could. He wanted to curl up in a ball in Izzy's lap, but suddenly he felt strange around her. Did… did Alec like him? In _that_ way? Surely not. Surely this was just a ruse.

If Simon had looked around the tent, he would have noticed Jace was missing. He could have pieced the puzzle together all by himself then and there. But he was so disturbed by his exchange with Alec that instead he huddled himself into a corner, drew his knees to his chest, and repressed the memory as deep down as he could.

* * *

"That was _beautiful,_ Alec. You should consider a job in acting. Even I was convinced you were head-over-heels for Simon."

Alec sighed with relief. Jace hadn't seen his desperate attempts to communicate with Simon via gaze. Jace was still reeling with glee, happy at how confused Simon was, when Alec cleared his throat.

"Hey, Jace? You heard the whole conversation, right?"

"Yep."

"What did Simon mean when he said he thought you had told me about… him having feelings for me?"

Jace's jovial smile vanished. "Oh… nothing, don't worry. It's an inside joke."

Alec looked confused. Jace dismissed it and kept talking. "Do you think he'll tell anyone what happened?"

"Nah. He's too decent a guy to do that. He won't say anything to Magnus, because… well, you know why. He'd feel too awkward saying anything to Izzy, and I doubt he'd say anything to Clary either - because then he'd have to admit that there was something he told you that involved me and him and… are you sure you can't tell me what he said?"

"Like I said. Inside joke. Move on, my friend."

Alec bit his tongue, refraining from pointing out the hypocrisy in Jace, who was currently organising vigilante vengeance missions, telling _him_ to 'move on'.

* * *

Magnus was cold. How unfortunate. Someone must have forgotten to close the tent flap, and the morning chill must have wandered in.

But wait - even if the tent was open, Alec was the one who should have been feeling the cold, not Magnus. Magnus was huddled up behind him.

Where was Alec?

Magnus woke up abruptly to see the tent almost empty. Clary was still curled up in a ball, asleep, and Izzy was yawning and stretching out her arms, having just woken up. _Calm down,_ he told himself, trying to ebb the rising panic he felt. _Alec's probably just too kind to wake you up when he woke up. He's probably just outside. Come on, Magnus, be rational._

Except there was a small part of him, a small, anxious part of him, that felt that something was wrong. He didn't know why - Alec was probably just outside. In fact, he was probably boiling water right now, so that Magnus could have his usual cup of warm water in the morning. Alec was just thoughtful like that.

 _If he was_ that _thoughtful, he wouldn't have left you here to be cold. He would have lain next to you for warmth, like he has done for the past few days. He would have waited until you were awake to give you a kiss on the forehead and_ then _gone to boil some water. Something's wrong._

Magnus shut his eyes. No. Nothing was wrong. He was just paranoid. He'd step outside, and Alec would be there, and he would embrace him, and they'd fit ever so perfectly together, and Magnus would thank whatever gods there were once more for the gift of Alec Lightwood.

But when Magnus emerged from the tent, the only person outside was Simon. Swallowing the rising panic, Magnus went to sit next to him. His eyes were wide and his face pale, staring off into the distance.

"Good morning, Simon," Magnus said, a little impatiently. Why hadn't Simon acknowledged his presence? He may be irritating, but Simon was never so brazenly rude.

"Simon?"

He put a hand in Simon's field of vision, trying to get his attention. He flinched, and flicked his gaze to Magnus' feet.

"Good morning," he mumbled, not lifting his gaze to look Magnus in the eye, or even in the face. Something was off.

"Do you know where Alec is?"

Simon winced again, and shook his head nervously. "No. Not at all. I haven't seen him yet this morning. He's probably using the bathroom or something. Not that there is a bathroom to use. I mean - you know. He's probably busy. I don't know. You should go look for him. I'm sure he'd like that. Because he likes you. A lot. Very much. Don't worry. In fact - "

"Are you alright, Simon? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine," he blurted, and stood up quickly, still averting his eyes, and fumbled his way over to his and Jace's tent. "I have to… um… I'll be back."

Simon was naturally an anxious person, but this was just extreme. Something was wrong. Something regarding Alec. Magnus gulped.

"Simon? Can I ask you something?"

A small whimper emanated from the inside of the tent. Magnus took this as a cue to continue.

"Is Alec okay?"

A pause. A lethal pause, quickening Magnus' heartbeat and turning the little voice of doubt in his head into a wailing siren.

"Of course he is, Magnus. He's fine."

But Simon's half-ditch attempt at persuasion was lost on Magnus. That pause had been enough to let him know that Alec was not okay.

He gulped, trying to steady the thrumming heartbeat he could feel taking over his thoughts. Alec was not okay.

* * *

The next target was Clary. Once Simon was out of the way, Alec found Jace almost at a loss as to who to choose next.

"Not Izzy," he had reasoned. "She's too smart. She'll catch on and expose us."

"Expose _you,_ " Alec corrected, but Jace wasn't listening.

"It has to be Magnus."

"No. Not at all."

"You don't get to decide who your victims are, Alec."

Ignoring how violent that sounded, Alec shook his head fervidly. "Think, Jace. You don't want to be linked to the pranks? Go for your girlfriend. It's not as if her and I get along swimmingly, anyway. If I prank her, the blame will shift from you - and don't pretend Simon isn't suspicious of your involvement - to me. Isn't that what you want?"

"You'd throw yourself under the bus like that?"

"I have to. I made a deal."

Jace smiled. "You did indeed."

As he made his way to Clary's tent, he took some deep breaths to clear his mind. He didn't know how he was going to get around inflicting damage on Magnus or Izzy - he hoped that Clary would be sharp enough to call Jace out. But Jace had thought of that - the mission he had given Alec this time was distinctly un-Jace. It wasn't public humiliation or awkward declarations of emotion. It was far more chaotic neutral. It was an inconvenience. He hated to admit it, but it was the kind of prank Alec would pull. Which just made it _that_ much less likely that Jace would get caught.

From across the clearing, Jace gave some sort of signal that Alec could only interpret to mean 'I'm ready'. Alec nodded back, refusing to indulge Jace by playing his stupid signalling game. Jace walked into the midst of the tents, greeting Magnus, who, Alec had just noticed, was looking rather pale.

"Is Alec okay?"

Those three words made Alec's heart drop. Had Magnus talked to Simon? Surely Simon hadn't told him anything… had he? Or perhaps that was the problem - perhaps Simon _hadn't_ told him anything. Perhaps the ambiguity of Simon's worry had set Magnus off. _By the Angel_ , Alec thought, _this is too much._

Jace was dismissing Magnus' worries with sweeping hand gestures, which Alec took as a rather unsubtle hint to him to enter the tent. In all honesty, Jace probably hadn't needed to gesticulate so grandly to distract Magnus - he was already lost in thought.

When Alec entered the tent, he was loath to see that Jace's prediction had been right - Clary was indeed the only one still asleep in her tent. Simon was probably in his own tent - Alec blushed just thinking about how awkward Simon must have felt - and Izzy… hmm. He'd have to be cautious of her arriving.

With his nephilim stealth, he crept up to Clary's sleeping form, and slowly took out the marker Jace, rather ironically, had taken from Clary's art supplies earlier. He felt very immature drawing on her face, but although Jace wasn't watching, it would be obvious if he tried to get out of it. Ever so quietly, he uncapped the marker and raised it to her cheek. With a stream of bitter profanity rolling through his head, he drew on her exactly what Jace had described. It became clear after a few strokes of the marker that he wasn't an artist. In fact, he couldn't recall drawing anything other than runes in his life. He sighed with frustration, readjusting his grip on her face, furrowing his brow. How did drawing come so easily to her? Drawing was hard. Drawing realistically was even harder.

Jace coughed loudly outside the tent, another not-so-subtle cue that he had prepped Alec on - it meant 'get out as fast as you can'. And so Alec capped the marked, tucked it in his pocket, surveyed his work once more and then exited the tent, carefully checking beforehand that the coast was clear. Magnus was standing, back to Alec, glaring at Jace, who was shrugging sheepishly. Alec knew instantly that Jace had offended Magnus somehow, and as much as he wanted to slap Jace on Magnus' behalf, he had to get out of there. He scurried away into the nearby bushes, and Jace, still huffing with the indignity of whatever insult Magnus had thrown at him, stalked off too.

"Did you get it done?"

"More or less," Alec admitted. "I'm not an artist."

"That's okay. As long as it looks somewhat accurate."

Alec scrunched up his face. "It looks like someone drew on her. That's all I can give you at the moment."

Jace rolled his eyes. "Fine. But you're going to have to make up for this by giving me a massage."

"Really?"

"Yes. All of this stress is getting to me?"

"You? Stressed? You've done nothing but humiliate me by bossing me around all day."

"It's hard work, but it's worth it," he said with a grin.

"Do you seriously want a massage?"

"Of course," Jace replied, making his way to their newfound hideout. "But, like everything else, you can't tell anyone about it. I don't want people to know that I got a massage from you. It's kind of a strange request."

Alec sighed. Judging from the position of the sun, it wasn't even eight o'clock yet. He had a long day ahead of him.

* * *

Izzy narrowed her eyes. She had been watching the boys from a nearby tree. Whatever they had done to spook Simon she had missed, but once she had woken up and seen Simon's concerned look, she decided to investigate. Simon was no help, of course. He refused to tell her what had happened, which meant that whatever the boys had done had either embarrassed him or scared him. Knowing them, it was the former. So, she had chosen a vantage point and observed the tents, waiting for them to make their next move. When Jace and Alec had surreptitiously crept in, she watched carefully. When Alec snuck into the tent where Clary was sleeping, she frowned. And when he escaped with Jace, she sighed. She had followed them for a short while, just far back enough to hear them but not to be spotted.

 _But, like everything else, you can't tell anyone about it._

Hmm. Interesting. Isabelle made her way back to the camp, trying to plot their next move. If Simon and Clary had both been targeted, it was Magnus or her next. _The boys are playing a dangerous game_ , she thought with a smirk, _but they don't know who they're up against._

* * *

When Clary stumbled out of the tent, rubbing her eyes, she was met with a glare from Magnus - he seemed annoyed. But the glare softened into a look of confusion after a few seconds.

"What's on your face?"

"Huh?"

"Someone's drawn something on your face."

"Ugh. Really? What is it?"

Magnus cocked his head to the side. "I'm not sure. It… it may be an animal of some kind. Or a… a car, I suppose. Let's just say you shouldn't feel threatened by it - you're still the best artist here by a long shot."

Clary rolled her eyes. "Where's Simon?"

"He's been in his tent this whole time."

"Is he alone?"

"Uh huh."

"Is he okay?"

Magnus didn't need to respond - she could tell from his body language that that conversation had ended there. She tried again. "And Izzy?"

"Good morning!"

Clary whirled around to see Izzy emerge from the trees behind her. "Sorry, I was just… busy. Woah. What happened to your face?"

"I don't know. Can you tell what it is?"

"It might be… I'm not sure. A pregnant elephant?"

"It's too short," Magnus commented. "And it doesn't have a trunk."

"True. But those ears… at least, I think they're ears."

"It could be a method of transport, or something."

Izzy tilted her head. "I don't mean to be… indelicate, but could it be a dick?"

Magnus shook his head. "Nope. Not at all. Trust me."

"What is it then?" She tilted her head again, the other direction, and reached out to change the angle of Clary's face. "Wait. Hold on. I think…"

She let go of Clary, and went to Simon's tent. "Simon. Get out here. I need you to verify something for me."

Without making eye contact with Izzy, he clambered out of his tent. He took one look at Clary and winced. "Who did that to you?"

"If I knew, I'd be off kicking their ass."

"What is that thing?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out."

Isabelle turned to him. "Don't you think it looks a bit like a…"

He stepped forward, carefully examining the drawing. "Yeah. Yes, it does."

"A what?" Magnus asked, his patience running thin.

Almost in unison, the two of them said, "a bantha."

"What?"

"A bantha," Simon said, "is the Star-Wars equivalent of a cow. It originates from Tatooine, but it has been found - "

"Wait, someone drew a Star-Wars creature on my face?"

"Well, it seems like they tried to, yes."

"Who would do that?" Magnus asked. "You're the nerd here, Simon, and you were in your tent the whole time. I can verify that."

"I'm not the _only_ nerd here," Simon said slowly, turning to Izzy. "Where were you? Just then?"

Despite knowing _exactly_ who'd committed this crime against art, she held her tongue. She wasn't going to expose Alec without knowing why he was doing what he was doing first. She needed an alibi, and fast.

"I was… pissing," she said. "My apologies, but I'm sure you don't want details."

Magnus scrunched up his face.

"Come on, Magnus, it's just a bodily function. Grow up."

"Oh, it's not that that disgusts me. It's the fact that _you,_ of all people, are a nerd."

"Shut up," she said jokingly.

Magnus frowned. "If it wasn't you, it was Jace or Alec - I didn't even know there _were_ animals in Star-Wars, let alone panthers - you can't pin this one on me."

Simon decided not to correct him.

"It wouldn't have been Jace," Clary said. "I don't think he's ever seen Star-Wars in his life. And besides - he'd never draw on me. He knows I'll get him back."

"So the culprit is someone who has watched Star-Wars, though clearly not enough to know what a bantha really looks like, someone who can't draw, and someone who isn't afraid of Clary's wrath." Simon looked around with worry.

Magnus gulped. "It has to be Alec."

Simon blanched. Izzy looked down. Clary scowled. "But why would he draw something from Star-Wars? Was… was he trying to frame Simon? Simon… would Alec have any reason to be annoyed at you?"

Simon shook his head abruptly. "No. Not at all. I haven't seen Alec all day."

"Neither have I," Magnus added, his brow creasing with concern. "Have you, Isabelle?"

She swallowed. "No."

"Wait, no one's seen Alec? All day? Have you seen Jace?"

"I have," Magnus answered. "I asked him where Alec was, and he decided to attack me for caring about my boyfriend's whereabouts. Twat."

"Jace and Alec must be up to something," Simon mumbled.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, Alec drew on your face, and he… I don't know. Jace and him are hiding somewhere. They're going to try to get Iz or Magnus next."

"Why not you?"

"They won't bother with me." Simon laughed nervously. Nobody bought it, but they moved on. They had plans to make of their own.

* * *

"Better?"

Jace nodded sleepily. "Good thing you're a better masseuse than artist."

"Speaking of, why exactly did you get me to draw one of the Star-Wars cows?"

"I thought I told you not to ask questions."  
"I've already done it. There's no harm in telling me."

"Fine." Jace rolled onto his back. "I wanted to make sure they didn't suspect me at all, so I used something from Star-Wars."

"How did you even know there _were_ cows in Star-Wars? Have you watched it?"

"Maybe," Jace said. "And just for the record, they're called banthas."

"God - another Star-Wars nerd? And another undercover one, at that? Soon, there'll be enough of you to form a fellowship."

"Wrong nerd movie, Alec. Now. Next target."

"Really? You're still going with this? Don't you think that they've cottoned on by now?"

"Maybe. But if they have, they've cottoned on to _you._ Not me. And because what I say goes today, we're still going ahead with this. If you get caught, you can't blame me."

"You know what? Fine. But if they figure out it's you behind all of this without my help, you're a goner. I'm sorry, but you're abusing your privileges here, and simultaneously being a colossal assnugget, so you can't blame me for not wanting to back you up."

Jace quirked an eyebrow. Alec regretted saying everything the moment after he said it.

"If that's how it is, Alec, then I suppose you've just sorted out your next target."

"Fine. Do whatever you want to me. I don't care. Honestly, I have nothing left to lose."

"Oh, Alec. Sweet, naïve Alec. I'm not going to make _you_ the next target. I'm making Magnus the next target."

"You wouldn't."

"I would. And you know what? We're going to make this… this enactment of justice so monumental that it will take half a day to plan and another half to execute. And you're not going to get a single chance to let Magnus know that something is off. And while we're at it, as we're going all out, we're going to get Izzy as well."

"If you're doing this just to piss me off, you may as well just punch me in the face and be done with it. Less effort on your behalf."

Jace smiled. "Nah. This is too much fun."

"You're being a complete and utter shithead. You know that, right?"

"I know. But I only get one day with you as my manservant. I have to use it as best I can."

* * *

Although it had stopped raining since last night, the sky was a blinding grey that threatened to storm. It was less cold than before, but the warmth from a few days ago had disappeared. The camp was eerily quiet, with everyone stationed strategically around the tents. Magnus was inside his tent, and Izzy inside hers, as protected as possible. Clary was trying her best to casually lounge against the tree that was closest to Magnus' tent, and Simon was sitting outside Izzy's. From their positions, the two of them could see any movement around the tents. Simon was being unusually quiet, but Clary didn't have the heart to ask why. She knew that if he wanted to speak, he would. But he was just awkwardly quiet.

"Do you think Alec has taken Jace hostage or something?"

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know… I don't understand why Jace wouldn't act out as well."

"Honestly, Si, don't worry about it. All that's happened so far is that Alec has drawn a crappy caricature on my face. He'll be back soon, and we'll spot it when he is. Maybe Jace _is_ behind this. Who knows. But they both have to come back at some point, and when they do, we'll figure everything out."

"Clary… did you… provoke Alec in any way? Would there have been a reason why he drew on you?"

"Not at all." She frowned, looking at his uneasy expression. "Why?"

"No reason. Just… trying to figure things out."

"You _have_ seen Alec today, haven't you?"

Simon widened his eyes and jerked his thumb at the tent. "Of course not."

She nodded in understanding, and the two of them met at a halfway point between the tents, where neither Magnus nor Izzy could hear them.

"I did see him. And he was super weird, and then he… kissed me."

Clary held the back of her hand to his forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I know, right? It's super messed up. But he did… not like, an actual kiss, but on the forehead. And he kept saying that he'd seen the way I looked at him, and that he felt the same. I don't know what was wrong with him, but he seemed really… anxious. Like he was trying to tell me something. But he couldn't. And then he kinda… left."

Clary cursed. "Jace is behind this. One hundred percent. There's no way Alec would ever show anyone but Magnus remotely as much affection as that. But why would Alec do that?"

"Exactly - I could have told Magnus. I could have told Izzy. I could have majorly screwed up things for him, especially if anyone believed that he had feelings for me. He's not that careless with this kind of stuff."

"Whatever his motives were, I think it's pretty clear we have Jace to blame for this."

"So what are we going to do? Can we have like… a super-badass plan to catch them - like… like an Ocean's Eleven style badass plan - and then we can do like a Scooby-Doo reveal of their evil scheme, and we'll get the last laugh, and Jace will be all like 'damn, we would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids!' and we'll just kind of laugh and then get them back by - "

"Sure."

"Wait - really?"

"Why not? Jace and Alec, regardless of the circumstances, are trying to terrorise us. Why not bite back?"

Simon smiled the same kind of smile that Clary knew so very well - the kind of smile that meant he was getting up to mischief. He had smiled like that when they were seven years old, hiding in a cupboard, about to jump out and scare Jocelyn. He had smiled like that when he was eleven, handing Clary a cake that he had baked 'just for her', which turned out to 'accidentally' be salty rather than sweet. And now, he was smiling like a little kid again, because here was his chance to get back at Alec and Jace for whatever strange torment they had inflicted upon him this morning. Clary couldn't help but smile too.

* * *

It was night time by the time Jace and Alec crept back into the camp. Alec almost felt like tripping and falling, giving away their position, and letting this whole escapade be over. But he knew Jace would never forgive him for that, so he begrudgingly slunk around the tents. He was on edge after being away from Magnus and Izzy for so long - they were usually enough to balance out Jace's crazy impulses. And yet, he found himself obeying Jace's every word, much to his disdain. Oh well - it looked to be at least ten o'clock. Two hours of this torment left.

They had mapped out the plan in excruciating detail, which is what had taken them so long - well, that and countless petty errands such as massages, fetching fresh water, and serenading Jace with 'the sweetest of nothings' (Alec wished he had held his tongue). Alec was concerned that in the hours they had spent away from the camp, worry would have arisen - there was no way the blame for anything was pinned on anyone but Jace and him. Knowing Izzy, she would have devised a trap to catch them in the act, which was precisely why Jace had followed him here to distract her. However, as they circled the tents, the light cast by the campfire showed nobody to be outside of their tents.

Before Jace could get close enough to whisper to Alec, Clary stepped out of Jace and Simon's tent.

"Jace! You're back!"

Alec slipped into the shadows. She hadn't seen him.

"Clary!"

"Where have you been?" She made puppy-dog eyes at him, pouting a little. He shrugged nonchalantly, and she draped her arms around him. "Alright then. Don't tell me. But I haven't seen you _all day._ We have some catching up to do."

With a wink, she pulled him towards his tent. Jace hesitated, and she froze, her wide eyes imploring. "Don't you want to…"

"Oh - of course I do. Of course. Um. Ha. But… first, could I just… talk to Iz?"

"Why?"

"I just…"

"I'm sure it can wait."

And with a giggle, she pulled him into the tent. Alec sighed. Now that Jace was well and truly incapacitated for the night, he'd have to carry out the mission on his own. And Isabelle could be anywhere.

He spotted Magnus' tent and began to make his way over. Before he entered, however, the flickering firelight showed the silhouette of two figures inside the tent. Alec could only just hear the voices, but he recognised one of them as Magnus, and one of them as -

 _SHIT._

Simon.

He crouched beside the tent, listening carefully to what they were saying.

"I'm sorry to break it to you in this way, Magnus… I… I don't know what it means either."

"I just don't know how Alexander… _my_ Alexander… could do such a thing. I thought I meant something to him."

Alec wanted to throw up, to faint, to start crying. He wanted to implode, and take out the world with him. He was so stupid, so fucking stupid, for ever agreeing to do anything for Jace ever. Magnus thought…

No. Shit. God.

"It's alright, Magnus. Don't cry."

SHIT.

"I just… we were supposed to move in together. I thought he… I thought he loved me."

 _I DO,_ he screamed to himself, _I DO I DO I DO._

"Magnus… there's something else you should know."

Silence.

"I think I love him back."

Alec froze. Fuck.

"Simon…"

"Please don't hate me. I… I've felt this way for a while now, and it's been awful - I can barely look Izzy in the eye anymore. I just… I love Alec. There. I said it. I hope you don't hate me."

Alec did. Alec hated Simon with the intensity of all nine circles of Hell. He hated Jace. He hated his parabatai for ruining his life. He hated the world, and the world hated him.

* * *

If Alec had not been so distraught at the news, he would have seen Isabelle watching him from a metre away, hidden in darkness. He would have seen her sneak back into her tent. He would have known something was amiss. But he couldn't think of anything, anyone, besides the people in that tent.

* * *

Inside the tent, Magnus was frowning. But not because he had just lost the love of his infinite life to Simon Lewis, but because he knew for a fact that Alec had heard that. It hurt him, to hurt Alec. But both Jace and Alec were playing with fire, and Izzy and Clary were determined to let them get a little burnt.

Simon silently reached out and squeezed his hand, as if to say 'don't worry - it'll be over soon'. Magnus took Simon's hand and looked at his watch. 10:47. How much longer could the night drag on?

* * *

Jace and Clary, however, didn't care about the time. In fact, they were unaware time was passing. Clary was kissing Jace with so much intent, so much hunger, that Jace almost thought something was wrong.

Almost.

But he kissed her back, because he had missed her being _her,_ had missed her fiery, passionate self. He had missed looking at her and seeing _his_ Clary, the Clary that had fought for him, over and over again. The Clary that he fought for. And so they kissed, aimlessly and yet purposefully, carefully and yet recklessly, as time ticked by for everyone but them.

Jace forgot about the mission - in fact, he forgot that anything outside of their tent existed.

* * *

Isabelle sat, waiting. Jace was immobilised for the time being, and Alec had received the first blow of her master plan. She admitted that it was cruel, but Simon had wanted reparations for the embarrassment Alec had caused him. Frankly, she didn't know why Simon was so disturbed at the prospect of Alec liking him. When he had told the group, he seemed almost afraid that it would insult her. Magnus had laughed it off ('no offence, Salmon, but why would he choose you over me?'), which seemed to ease the tension, and Izzy couldn't help but smile too. Of course, she'd choose Simon over Magnus any time, but the idea of her brother having the same taste in guys as her made her laugh.

At the end of the day, however, if Simon wanted to get Alec back, he had every right to. It was all harmless, right? Alec wouldn't take it seriously, would he?

She was kidding herself. Of course he would. He'd taken every joke she'd ever told him seriously. That was just the kind of guy he was. But he and Jace needed to be taught a lesson, didn't they?

* * *

Alec sat outside that tent for at least an hour. He didn't feel like confronting anyone anymore. He didn't feel like moving. Ever. His new plan was to curl up in a ball and die. Jace wouldn't mind that he'd abandoned the plan, would he? Judging from the shaking of the tent he was currently sharing with Clary, he'd abandoned the plan as well.

That was okay, though. At least he wouldn't have to hurt Magnus. At least - he wouldn't have to hurt Magnus any more than he already had.

He rubbed his eyes as if they were irritating him - nobody was watching, but he didn't even want to admit to himself that he was crying.

Simon and Magnus were still talking, but quieter. Alec couldn't hear what they were saying, but honestly, he didn't care. Why should he? He'd only get hurt more.

* * *

"Should I go now?"

"If you want to."

"How should I do it? Should I storm out angrily, as if we've had a fight? Or should I saunter out casually, as if - "

"What if I slap you, and you leave with your head in your hands, running away in fear?"

"Oh. Okay."

"Come on. We have to give Alec something."

"He messed with me. Can't I mess with him back?"

"Let's go with the slapping option."

"Wait - "

* * *

"Holy shit!"

Alec scrambled into the shadows. The slap had been loud enough to shake him from his thoughts. Simon stumbled out of the tent, a betrayed expression on his face. There was a red mark on his face where Magnus had slapped him.

Huh.

Maybe all hope was _not_ lost.

* * *

Jace snapped his eyes open. Simon's startled yelp brought him back to reality.

"Clary - "

"Just a little longer," she whispered into his neck.

"I have to go," he said, reaching for his clothes. She frowned innocently.

"Not yet."

"I'm sorry. I have to."

Her playful longing vanished, replaced by a smirk. "I can't let you do that."

"Why not?"

"Because," she said, sitting up. "We're onto you."

He jolted upright, only to find his hand tied to a pole on the inside of the tent with a length of rope. He cursed Luke's foresight in making them pack rope.

"How…"

She lifted her wrist to him to reveal a stealth rune. "You're not the only one here with a plan, Jace."

Oh shit.

Alec.

* * *

With Simon gone, Alec took a deep breath, and went to the back of Magnus' tent. The plan was simple - spook him. After all of the deliberation, Jace didn't have the heart to make it anything more monumental than a good old-fashioned jump-scare. Jace had given him a large leaf to bat the tent with, and told him some eerie noises to make. This had all seemed a lot more appropriate before, when Magnus would have been sitting alone in the dark, thinking or something, and Alec would have given him a little fright. Now? It just seemed petty.

In fact… he wasn't going to do it. No. This was ridiculous. Jace wouldn't care - he could see Jace's tent shaking again, more frantically than last time. Alec scowled. He had kept us his end of the deal, and Jace was in another world.

* * *

Jace was trying desperately to free himself from the rope. He tugged at it, shaking the frame of the tent. He didn't want to yell, in case Izzy heard and went looking for Alec. She'd be pissed at him. Of course she would. He'd been gone all day, and he'd hit on her boyfriend and scribbled all over Clary. And Clary wouldn't be working alone - tying him up wasn't going to achieve much if there weren't others working with her. Alec was screwed.

* * *

Simon opened Isabelle's tent and gave her a thumbs-up. She nodded in return, and he helped her out of the tent. She couldn't see her brother, but Simon silently indicated that he was behind Magnus' tent. Was he hiding, or was he waiting to strike? Who knew.

Simon held up his watch for her to see. 11:52. Clary had estimated that Jace would be able to escape in five minutes max, but Izzy had thought it would be closer to three. They had to act quickly.

With all of her nephilim stealth, she rounded the tent until she was opposite Simon, and Alec was in between them. Slowly, they approached Alec, who was staring blankly at the tent.

"Hey."

Isabelle paused. "You knew I was here?"

"Not you," he admitted. "But Simon breathes really loudly."

"Damn it," Simon muttered under his breath. Isabelle smiled gently.

"Okay. You got us." Ignoring Simon's inquisitive frown, she sat down next to her brother. "What's wrong?"

Alec shot Simon a sidelong glare. "Ask this calumnious Casanova."

"Ouch," Simon scoffed sarcastically. "That hurt."

"Alec," Izzy said softly. "Why are you doing… this?"

He didn't say anything.

"Jace is making you do this, isn't he?"

Still nothing.

She sighed impatiently. "You lost a bet. Of course you did. Have you learnt anything from the past ten years of your life?"

"I honestly thought I was going to win," he mumbled.

"Of course you did. And look where you are now."

"I don't… I don't understand," Simon said, sitting down so the three of them were awkwardly lingering at the back of Magnus' tent. "If you lost a bet to Jace, why are you doing all of this weird shit? Why not just do stuff for him?"

"Oh, I had to do stuff for him too. Pro tip: never sarcastically promise to serenade Jace if you're not prepared to do so."

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Bloody Jace. Trust him to make things difficult."

"Well, now that you've figured this out on your own and I'm technically allowed to talk things over with you guys… Simon. What the _fuck_."

Simon grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Why the hell would you tell Magnus? I thought you'd be decent enough to keep it quiet, at least for twenty-four hours. But no, you had to go and… mess everything up for me just because I pretended to think you liked me."

"Wait… you were pretending?"

Both Izzy and Alec stared at him expectantly. "Of course I was pretending. You're dating my sister."

"So Jace didn't…"

"Jace didn't what?"

Simon groaned. "Of course he didn't. Of course he'd let me make a fool of myself. Shit. Okay. You know what? Never mind then. I take back telling Magnus. I was only trying to make Jace feel bad about telling you something that I thought was confidential. All good."

"All good? All _good?_ Simon, you told Magnus freaking Bane that I - that I - "

He stood up, stumbling to the entrance to his and Magnus' tent. Izzy turned to him. "Did… did we tell him Magnus was in on this?"

Simon blinked.

"I don't believe we did."

* * *

"Get off me," Jace whispered, still afraid of alerting Isabelle to Alec's mission. Clary was pinning him to the tent floor. She was tiny, but she had learnt from him how to take down a foe bigger than her. _Curse my superior training skills,_ he thought to himself.

"No. You're staying here."

"Why, though? Why would you do this to me?"

"Because you and Alec are up to something, and we're getting you back."

"Hate to break it to you sweetheart, but making out with me and then tying me to a tent isn't exactly revenge. In fact, some would call it a good time."

She frowned. "Yeah, but Alec's the one who's been doing all of the pranks, right? You're just his sidekick. He's the one Isabelle wants to get back at."

Oh shit. Isabelle was already involved, and from all of Jace's childhood years, he knew she was ruthless when it came to getting people back. There was no hope for Alec.

For Alec.

His parabatai.

Great. Now he had to do _something_.

* * *

Magnus was already outside the tent before Alec got there.

"Alec, I - "

"I'm sorry. I don't love him. Of course I don't. Look at him."

From where he had left them, Simon coughed.

"Magnus, I - fuck. Okay. Sorry. I just… I just want you to know that I do love you. I didn't mean what I said… Jace made me. And I can say that now, because Iz already figured it out. I was an idiot and I made a bet with Jace and I lost it and I've had to do some really weird shit, Magnus, but I also had to flirt with Simon and trust me I'm as disgusted at that as you have every right to be."

"Alec - "

"And I know it's not fair that I - "

"I knew."

"What?"

"I knew it wasn't true. Please. As if you'd have a thing for Simon - "

Simon yelped. "Hey!"

" - because he's your sister's boyfriend," Magnus said in a warning tone. Simon piped down. "Alec, don't apologise. Jace is just messing with you. _We_ were just messing with you."

"But… _why?"_

Magnus shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, I was against it from the start."

"So what… your plan was to make me feel like shit? Congratulations. Sister, boyfriend, and… Simon of the year awards all round."

"We had planned more. Namely, to ambush you and draw on you. But that seemed like taking it a bit too far."

"No shit."

There was a crashing sound, a curse from Clary, and Jace tumbled out of the tent, his arm still inside of it.

"Alec! Wait!"

He ran towards them, dragging the tent behind him.

Simon's eyes widened. "Is Clary still in there?"

"Yes," came her muffled reply.  
"Wait… have you told them?"

"Iz figured it out," Alec said.

"When?"

"This morning," she said smugly. Jace rolled his eyes.

"And we've been hearing all about how you've messed with Alec," Magnus seethed. Jace gulped.

"Come on, Alec. It wasn't that bad. It was just a few things here and there… oh." Jace paused. There was a familiar glimmer in his eye. A glimmer that Alec knew too well. A glimmer that meant 'I'm still getting the last laugh'. "And a song. A lovely little ditty that you sang for me. Why don't you sing it for us now?"

Alec sneered. "No."

"Well technically, you're still obligated to. Come on. Sing us a song."

Alec looked down at Simon's watch. A smug grin took over his face. He laughed dryly. "Well, _technically,_ it's 12:00. And do you know what that means?" The fire flickered, casting dramatic shadows on his face. "I am not your bitch."

Jace's complacent expression vanished. Clary stumbled out of the tent, muttering angrily to herself, and untied the knot that tied Jace to the tent. Alec started towards him, and Jace, to his credit, didn't even flinch.

"You have every right to punch me in the face," Jace admitted. Alec stopped in front of him, his face expressionless.

"I know."

Jace waited.

Alec leant in and embraced him, laughing to himself. "You asshole."

Jace smiled, patting his parabatai on the back. "Sorry."

"Nah - you'll be the sorry one soon."

"And why is that?"

"No one is ever going to make a bet with you again. Ever."


	9. Secrets

The camp was quiet. After last night's chaos, they had all fallen asleep relatively quickly. Alec and Magnus were in their tent, but Simon had refused to share a tent with Jace, insisting that the past few days had been traumatic enough. This meant Clary had wound up sharing a tent with Jace, and Simon with Izzy. Clary didn't mind it - she loved spending time with Jace, even if it just meant being close to him.

As birdsong warbled through the trees, the early morning sunlight soft upon their tent, Clary opened her eyes slowly. She could hear Jace's steady breathing next to her, deep enough to suggest that he was still asleep. She shifted ever so slightly so that she could see his face lying next to hers. Luckily for him, the bruise had died down, so his complexion just looked _slightly_ uneven. Izzy had probably brought makeup, which would fix that easily enough. His golden hair was messy from tossing and turning in his sleep - Clary had been on the receiving end of a few kicks that were enough to indicate he hadn't had a calm night's sleep. He tilted his head, lost in the depths of sleep. The golden light of the morning filtered through the blue canvas tent, gently illuminating his face.

"I know you're watching me."

His gravelly voice surprised her. "You're awake?"

"Mhmm," he mumbled, blinking wearily. "And you've been watching me."

She rolled onto her side, facing him fully. "I can't help it."  
"Oh yeah?"

"Uh huh."

"Are you mad at me?"

She frowned. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because I treated Alec like shit."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did. I know I did."

"Okay. You did. But… I'm not mad at you. It was just lighthearted fun that went a bit off the rails."

"Yeah, but - "

"I'm not saying that's an excuse for messing with him. _He_ has every right to be mad at you. But I'm not going to hold it against you. Mostly because I like you too much to hold a grudge."

"Is Alec going to get back at me?"

"Hopefully."

"Are you going to help him?"

"Maybe."

He smiled sleepily. "Bring it on."

Clary returned his grin, reaching out to hold him. He pulled her over until she was laying on top of him, their eyes still focussed on nothing but each other.

"If I were to kiss you right now, would you tie me to the tent?"

She laughed. "Not this time."

So he kissed her, not with the feverish intensity of last time, but with the delicate idleness of a person deeply in love. And she kissed him back, with no ulterior motives, no hidden plans, just a reckless sense of adoration for none other than Jace Herondale.

Sometimes it scared her, how much she cared about him. Sometimes she was afraid that her willingness to go to any ends for him would end up stinging her. But as they lay, hands entwined in hair, sunshine soft and warm, hearts beating as one, she couldn't think of anything but how much she loved him.

Somehow, she forgot where they were. Somehow, she forgot everything. She couldn't have cared less what was outside that tent. She had a universe to herself in her arms, and there was nothing, _nothing,_ that could take it from her.

* * *

"Hey."

"Hey."

'Hey' seemed like an understatement. Simon wanted to say something closer to 'holy shit, you're an angel', or 'what did I do to deserve you?', or even 'thank you for gracing my existence with your presence'. But he instead said 'hey'.

Isabelle winked. Maybe what he thought didn't need to be said.

She yawned, sitting up and drawing the sleeping bag around her. Simon couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He'd had trouble seeing anything angelic in Alec, Jace, and even Clary - but he didn't doubt for a second that Isabelle was part angel. In fact, he found it harder to believe she was human at all.

She caught him gazing at her and he blushed and looked away, suddenly self-conscious. He had no reason to be. He had seen her, all of her, last night. But still… he felt bad looking at her.

"You don't have to look away. I appreciate you protecting my modesty, but… I don't want to make this awkward," she said, picking her clothes up off the floor and putting them on. Simon mumbled something that she didn't quite catch.

"What was that?"

"I… I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

She paused. "Do you know what? I don't think anyone has ever cared about whether or not I was comfortable before."

It was true - she'd been dressing to match her high self-confidence since she'd been allowed to, and even though she was seldom uncomfortable around people, regardless of her state of undress, she didn't think anyone had ever cared enough to consider her comfort. It was usually just assumed that she felt at ease dressed in anything - or indeed, dressed in nothing. But here was Simon, his gaze averted out of sheer decency, turning down a chance that she knew others would happily take. She couldn't help but smile.

"Why… why not?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly. Before she could elaborate, he began mumbling, cleared his throat a little, and blurted -

"It's… it's a privilege to be with you, Isabelle. In every single way."

Her thoughts flicked back to the countless stares, the filthy mutters she endured, the rough grabbing and demanding yelling and all of the hell that other men had dealt her. She shook her head.

"It's a privilege to be with you too, Simon. More than I hope you ever realise."

* * *

Alec and Magnus, in a surprising turn of events, did not end up getting anywhere near as intimate as the others did. In fact, Alec had climbed into their tent and promptly fallen asleep, only pausing to kiss Magnus goodnight. He was drained from the exhausting day, and quite frankly, Magnus was too. He was always fatigued these days, with his magic feeling more like a memory than a real presence. It was still there - of course it was - but it was rather like waking up and finding out that the person you thought you were cuddling was actually a pillow. Still real, just… distant.

But it was getting stronger, and so was he. For that reason, despite the desire to remain laying next to Alexander for the rest of his immortal life, Magnus decided that he would get up early that morning and practice his magic.

Nobody else was out of their tent yet, but Magnus knew better than to assume that meant everyone was still asleep. All it meant for him was that he got peace and quiet - two things he'd never appreciated so wholly - and time. Time he could spend on magic.

He closed his eyes, breathing through his mouth. He could do this. He didn't need to waste time summoning things such as hamburgers - Izzy had been right. What they really needed was a way out of there, not a Happy Meal - but truth be told, Magnus wouldn't object to either right now. _Focus,_ he told himself, and he did, which surprised him so much he lost focus again. Frowning slightly, he willed himself to focus again -

And he did. He had never had to focus intensely on doing simple magic before his connection with magic was strained. The thought process involved just seemed to happen automatically, like a reflex. This newfound focus - maybe it was his magic telling him that he was closer than he thought. Maybe it meant that the automatic process was still there, albeit a little blurry. With this in mind, Magnus opened his eyes, steeling himself to succumb to all of the distractions of the outside world -

And he found himself still focussed. He could still feel the magic rippling beneath his skin, still feel the tightness holding it caused in his fingers. It wasn't quite as mechanical as before, no, but nonetheless it was closer than he'd gotten recently. Daring to exhale, he relaxed slightly, looking around the camp.

The magic was still there.

Resisting the urge to celebrate this triumph in some way, he allowed himself a smile. He didn't think Alexander would be too pleased with him wasting this fleeting magic on something as 'unimportant' as a ceremonious shower of glitter (though Magnus would never be convinced that glitter was anything but something of great import, he did understand Alec's reasoning). With his smile still on his face, he turned his attention to a rock that lay on the ground before him. His fingers crackled excitedly - the magic knew what to do, it was just awaiting his command.

 _Move._

And the rock did - rather enthusiastically, as a matter of fact. Jolting, it flung itself about a metre from where it originated. _No,_ Magnus thought, _it didn't fling itself. I flung it. With my magic._

This time, he couldn't help the glitter.

His next target was a stick that lay partly buried in the recently dried mud. It took a little more effort, due to the resistance it put up, but it too shot off into the woods. _Huh._ Magnus smirked - just like old times with his good friend Ragnor Fell, he had proven once more that he, Magnus Bane, was a master at moving sticks-in-the-mud.

His magic seemed to sense his contentment, and began to trickle away. Magnus stopped smirking, focussing hard again, but he could do nothing to stop its fading - it was like talking with someone you really want to talk to, finishing a deep conversation, and having to endure the awkward small talk that precedes goodbyes. No matter how hard he tried, the magic seemed determined to be on its way.

In a last, desperate attempt, Magnus used whatever magic he could still summon to drag one of the bags they had brought towards him. It was heavy, so it took more effort, and it didn't leap off the ground as freely as the other things had - it just slid over to him. Alas, it seemed that by the time the bag was at his feet, his magic had slipped away without so much as a promise of return.

He sat down, grouchily wiping his brow. He hadn't realised that he had begun to sweat. How unbecoming of him. Now that he had a bag at his feet, he figured he may as well do something with his time and look through it - if anyone came out of their tent, he needed an alibi as to what he was doing with said bag. He wasn't ready quite yet to admit his magic was teasing him - he didn't want to get hopes up.

He unzipped the bag absentmindedly, not caring what he found (unless it was food, in which case, he would be very happy). But once he had opened it, he found the contents of the bag intriguing. Very, very intriguing.

* * *

"It's probably time to get up now," Clary breathed into Jace's neck. He pouted playfully.

"Really? I don't want to have to face Alec's wrath _just_ yet. Five more minutes."

She laughed quietly, tying up her red hair into a messy bun. "I don't believe in karma, Jace, but I _do_ think it's a little unfair that you put Alec through hell and you're rewarded with - "

"With you? I know, right?" He closed his eyes happily, content to never open them to anything but her again. Seeing his relaxed state, she tickled him, and he curled up into a ball as he tried to push her off him, to no avail.

"Come on, Jace, time to get out of bed."

"Stop," he wheezed, batting her away. "Please. I'll take anything Alec will throw my way - just please stop tickling me."

Looking as though she'd just uncovered his weakness, she pulled a jumper on and left the tent, leaving Jace a few seconds to pull himself together and follow her.

* * *

Simon and Izzy were already outside, sitting outside their tent and each clutching a warm drink. Magnus had set up a fire and boiled a kettle of water for tea and instant coffee - though absurdly, he seemed content with a mug of plain water. Izzy didn't question him on it, though - she was too busy trying to think of the perfect words to describe Simon's scent.

It was an odd thing to want to do, she thought, but as he sat next to her, leaning into her shoulder, she couldn't think of anything but the precise scent of his hair.

He smelt kind of like sweat, but Izzy suspected that was left over from last night. He also smelt like shampoo and some sweet undertone that she couldn't quite put a finger on. Whatever it was, it was so distinctly Simon that Izzy felt the urge to bottle it up and wear it as perfume.

 _It's a privilege to be with you._

Izzy wasn't an overly romantic person - she had held off on being too affectionate for this entire trip - but after last night, and after how tenderly kind he had been to her… she felt a rising desire to stamp her name all over him, to wrap him in bubble wrap until the end of time, to protect him over and over and over again -

"Iz?"  
"What was that, sorry?"

"I just… I just apologised because, um… I kinda spilt a little bit of coffee on your leg."

Simon had, indeed, spilt coffee on her thigh. Not enough to be painful, but enough to be uncomfortably warm - and, she noted, enough to leave a stain if she didn't wash her pants soon.

"Oh. That's alright."

"Sorry."

"It's okay, Si."

"Okay. I'm still sorry, though."

"That's okay. You don't need to be."

"But I am."

"Alright," she sighed happily, leaning in closer to him. Yes, he was a klutz, but he was _her_ klutz.

When Clary and Jace had finally emerged from their tent, and Magnus had finished pouring them a drink, Magnus frowned slightly.

"By the way - whose bag is that?"

He pointed to a grey bag that was sitting slightly apart from the rest of them. They'd decided to leave their bags underneath the tree, where they were protected but not taking up room in their tents.

"It's mine," Clary yawned. "Why?"  
"Oh, nothing much. I just stepped on it a little earlier - by accident - and I thought I heard something crack. It may have been nothing, but I thought it an intrusion of privacy if I was to go through and check your belongings were intact."

"Oh - okay. Uh… I'm sure everything will be fine. It was probably just a stick. I'll check, though."

She walked over to her bag and began rifling through it, running off a checklist in her head to make sure everything was intact.

But.

But something was missing. Clary frowned. Where was it? She couldn't have lost it - she'd barely opened her bag this entire trip. She looked up at Magnus, about to ask if anything had fallen out of her bag when he met her gaze. The casual apology in his eyes had disappeared, and for the moment that their gazes locked, she could tell that he knew exactly where it was.

Shit.

Nobody else had noticed this exchange, however, so Clary pretended that nothing was amiss. "Everything's fine."

"Mm. It probably _was_ just a twig or something. No harm in checking."

Although every trace of hostility had vanished, Clary still felt uneasy. This wasn't something that could be ignored. He'd get her alone, and then he'd ask about it, and she'd have to answer. Until then, however, she put on a sleepy smile and walked over to Jace, who lazily pulled her into a hug.

"Well, if that's all sorted, can we get some breakfast?"

"I couldn't agree more," Magnus said, practically leaping over to where the food was. He retrieved some plastic bowls and the bag of rolled oats that Jocelyn had wanted to bring. _You may not like it, Clary, but porridge is easy to make and the ingredients are easy to carry,_ she had argued as she purchased the large packet. Clary tried to ignore the familiar ache of missing her mother, but it was no use. They had been apart before, of course they had, but this time was different. There was no war. No reason to be apart. In fact, there was nothing supernatural that Clary could pin this on at all - other than Magnus, of course. But she couldn't bring herself to blame him.

She gulped. She hoped he felt the same sentiment towards her.

* * *

By the time Alec had awoken, breakfast was well underway. He emerged from his tent yawning, hair messed up from a rough night's sleep. Instead of his usual 'good morning' scowl, he greeted everyone with a sleepy wave.

"Wow. You must have really done something to him, Jace. He seems almost… _sociable."_

"Ha ha ha. Hilarious. You're a comedy genius, Simon," Alec deadpanned.

" _There's_ the Alec we all know and love - sarcastic and misanthropic."

Alec rolled his eyes. He didn't have time for this.

"Morning, Alexander! So glad you could join us! Would you care for some porridge? I'm afraid it's a tad bland, but it's all we have."

Alec smiled at Magnus. "I don't have much choice, do I?"

With a subtle wink, Magnus handed Alec a mug of porridge and a spoon. He took a bite, surprised to find that it wasn't bland at all - in fact, it tasted like it had been flavoured with brown sugar and milk. He frowned at Magnus, who shrugged. Alec sighed, trying to communicate wordlessly with his boyfriend.

 _You don't have to waste your magic on me._

Magnus beamed, communicating clearly: _on you, Alexander, magic is never a waste._

Alec couldn't help but smile back. Maybe he did deserve the luxury of flavoured food - he had spent the entirety of yesterday wanting to shrivel up and die, after all. Which reminded him…

"Jace."

"I'm not here," Jace mumbled, ducking behind Clary. Unfortunately, the 5'11" warrior was unsuccessful in his attempt to hide behind Clary's small frame. This fact wasn't helped by Clary ducking aside, laughing at his pathetic attempt at camouflage. Alec grinned sympathetically.

"Nice try, but you know what's coming."

"Fine," Jace said, standing to meet his fate. "However, I must insist that if I am to receive an ass-kicking from my parabatai, at least give me a chance to do so with dignity."

Maintaining eye contact with Alec, he whipped off his shirt. Clary seemed to be the only one who was impressed.

"Can I just ask… why?"

"Because, Alec, when they finally finish piecing my corpse back together after you've blown me into smithereens, I want them to say, 'damn, that boy had abs'. It's my dying wish."

"I'm not going to kill you, Jace. Not yet."

"What do you mean not yet?"

And with a knowing smile, Alec sat down next to Magnus, ignoring Jace's increasingly frantic questions. Clary didn't envy Jace - from the smirk on Alec's face, it appeared that whatever Jace had in store for him wasn't going to be pretty.

* * *

They ate the rest of their breakfast in near-silence, everyone but Alec tentatively nibbling at their tasteless porridge. Alec kept fussing over Magnus - rearranging his hair so it was out of his eyes, brushing dirt off of his clothes, constantly asking him if he was comfortable. To the others, there was nothing about Magnus that needed tending to, but he made no effort to stop his boyfriend from fretting over him. It was cute, Clary thought, and she whispered that much to Jace.

Jace shrugged - maybe, but it didn't change how unnerved he was by Alec's sadistic grin.

Simon was the first to finish, and Izzy shortly after. They stood up at the same time, laughing at how they were 'in unison', and decided that they'd go for a walk. No one bothered to object, so long as they were back within the hour. Clary stood next and dismissed herself to go to the river to wash her bowl. Magnus got to his feet too.

"I'll join you. I have a bowl to wash, too. Shall I take yours, Alec?"

He shook his head. "I can do it. Don't worry."

"I insist," Magnus replied, taking the mug from him. Clary followed suit, taking Jace's bowl, but her thoughts were occupied - surely, Magnus would use this chance to confront her on her bag. What could she say to get out of it?

"I need to wash, too - give me the bowls and I'll do it all myself."

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "Nonsense. It'll be faster if I come with you and we finish the bowls quickly, and then you can bathe. Besides - we wouldn't want you getting lost, would we?"

The word 'lost' echoed around her mind. Was it intentional? She didn't know, but knowing Magnus, it probably was. Her heartbeat quickened as she put on a sweet smile and left the campsite with him.

They walked in silence, Clary terrified to say anything, until they reached the riverbank. She bent down to start washing her bowl before Magnus said: "care to explain this, Clarissa?"

She didn't need to turn to know exactly what he was holding, but she did anyway - just in case this was a huge misunderstanding. Alas, her premonition had been correct.

In his hand, Magnus held a GPS. It was simple, and designed for portability - it had a bracket where, if you desired, you could attach it to a bike. There was a screen, and Clary knew that if it were turned on, she'd see a map with a blinking red dot to indicate where they were. Although she knew everything about the GPS, she refused to take her eyes off it, because meeting Magnus' gaze would be even worse.

"Why didn't you tell us you had a GPS?"  
She didn't answer. What was there to say?

"Clarissa, we could have found our way back by now."

"It's not that simple, Magnus."

"Really? How is it not that simple? Please. Tell me. I'm curious," Magnus retorted, his tone rising in annoyance.

"If we turn that thing on, it emits a signal."

"I'm not a mundane, Clary, I don't know much about technology, but please - don't patronise me here. I know it would emit a signal. How is that a bad thing?"

"Because if it's emitting a signal and trying to get our coordinates, it's actively alerting anything nearby that we're here. It's trying to figure out where we are by bouncing signals off wherever it can. And… and if it does that, then we can be found."

"I… I can't believe that you would be so selfish, Clarissa, as to not tell anybody about this - I don't know what you have against the rest of us, but we would very much like to be found."

"As would I, Magnus, but by my mother. By Luke. If we turn this on, the only people who would have access to our coordinates are us and - "

"The police," Magnus finished. "You don't want the police to know we're here."

"No," she whispered, her voice shaky. "I don't."

"Please tell me why that is," he asked, his voice equally low.

"Because… we'd have to explain. We'd have to explain how we'd survived for so long, how we hadn't all broken our necks in the fall. How Alec's wound had healed so fast. And we'd have no choice but to tell them the truth. We'd expose the shadow world."

"We could _lie_ , Clary - we could think of an alibi. We could use a glamour over our campsite, make them think it was a false alarm and stop following us. There are so many other options than letting us waste away in some godforsaken forest!"

"It's not that easy, Magnus. It's never that easy."

"What would you know? You're a child! Who are you to tell me what is and isn't easy? You know what _would_ be easy? If we turned on this GPS and discovered that there's a trail that would lead us straight out of here. Or if we discovered that there's a camping ground a mile or so away that we'd never find if it weren't aware. We could find help. We could get us out of here."

"We can do that without the GPS. We know the way out - up the embankment. It'll just take time, Magnus, and we have plenty of that. We don't need to overcomplicate things."

" _Overcomplicate_? Tell me, Clary, how do you think Jocelyn will feel when she discovers that you could have just pushed a button and found a way out of this?"

"Or not! If we turned it on, who's to say that we _do_ find a route out? We could have search and rescue police on our tail for no reason."

"Even if that was the case, it's completely unfair of you to make that decision yourself. You should have told the rest of us. We could have come up with an alibi together. We could have thought it through a little more than you did."

"I have thought this through! I've spent every second of every day we've been here contemplating what to do. I knew if I told anyone, especially Jace or Isabelle or you, that you'd want to turn it on."

"What do you mean, especially Jace or Izzy or me?" Magnus' voice was louder now - he was yelling angrily at her. Usually, he hated yelling at Clary - she was so small that it didn't seem fair. But she, too, was getting increasingly shrill. He was glad he had waited until they were this far away from the camp.

"I mean that you three are prone to leaping into danger headfirst if it means direct benefit. You don't _think."_

"Don't you dare speak to me in that way," he hissed, but Clary didn't seem inclined to stop.

"It's true, Magnus - you throw yourself at danger without a second thought. You threw yourself into a raging river, almost killing you _and Alec,_ and I don't think you heard a single word that I said to you afterwards. You act like you're prepared to die for Alec, but how would you feel if that fearlessness caused him harm? How would you - "

" _Enough,"_ he seethed, but the heartbeat thumping in his ears was too loud for him to determine whether or not she had shut up. Anger, unbridled and ready to explode, coursed through his veins, causing his whole body to tingle -

No. That wasn't anger. It was his magic, as furious as him, rearing inside of him like a wild stallion. Before he could control it, a few blue sparks crackled at his fingertips - a warning sign for whoever dared to oppose him.

It was only for a split second, before he forced it under control, but the damage was done - Clary's eyes had widened in shock.

"Your magic - "

"It's… it's not as strong as it looks - "

"It responded to what you saw as a threat. It reacted to your emotions. If it's strong enough to be an automatic reflex - "

"Clary, it's not strong enough. Trust me."

"But it's strong _er -_ "

"I don't want to get their hopes up."

"You should have told us."

"Perhaps you're not the only one who has been keeping secrets."

They exchanged a glance. Clary could see, behind Magnus' snide scowl, that he didn't want to hide things from the others. He didn't want to leave them in the dark. But Magnus could see through her, too, and he could tell that her malicious snarl was a facade to hide her fear. She was just as tentative as he was about hiding things from the others. But some unspoken thought passed between them, a shudder that turned their blood cold - they would both have to keep quiet, or else the other would expose them, too. It hurt them both, but neither would budge from their standpoint, and hence, both would have to remain silent.

"I'm sorry," Clary whispered.

"I am too."

And Magnus spun on his heel, leaving Clary alone on the riverbank, unwashed dishes still in hand.

* * *

"Where's Jace?"

Alec shrugged. "Why should I care?"

Izzy frowned. "Shouldn't you be worried that he's trying to run from your wrath?"

"I know he won't run. He's got too much pride to do that. If I didn't know better, I'd say he's in his tent right now, listening to what we're saying, and trying to gather how I'm planning to wreak my havoc. And just for the record, Jace - I'm not going to let you find out. You'll know when it happens. Also, stop eavesdropping."

"I wasn't eavesdropping," Jace barked from inside his tent.

Simon laughed but covered it up with a cough. Alec smiled.

"How was the walk?"

Simon and Izzy looked at each other, an inside joke written all over their grins. "Oh, it was… quite interesting."

"The scenery was gorgeous."

"Beautiful."

"Absolutely spectacular."

"First of all, ew," Alec said. "You're my sister. Stop it. This is weird. Second, I think I'll follow your lead and go for a walk - but like, an actual walk. Not whatever the hell you two did. I have some planning to do, isn't that right, Jace?"

A muffled scream of annoyance came from inside Jace's tent. "Just tell me what you're going to do and get it over with."

"Not just yet. Patience."

"I don't have any patience, Alec."

"What else is new?"

Still looking content and unfazed, Alec strolled out of the camp, whistling to himself.

* * *

Magnus hated keeping secrets. It was ironic, really - he hated secrets, and yet he had so very many of them. Actually, it wasn't the secrets that bothered him, but rather the fact that he had to not tell anybody else. Sure, that was the nature of a secret, but it was so inconvenient. He wanted to tell Alec about the GPS, to get his clear-headed verdict on what should be done. He wanted to tell Alec that his magic was getting stronger, but it still wasn't strong enough. But Alec would tell Jace, because these weren't personal issues - they pertained to all of them, and Alec would argue that Jace would have a right to know. Then either Alec or Jace would tell Izzy, who would tell Simon, who would tell Clary if Jace hadn't told her first. Then not only would the secrets not be secret and their purpose defeated, but Clary would know he had broken the wordless agreement they made each other.

It was complicated. Complicated and inconvenient.

He hadn't wanted to go back to the camp because that would mean facing Alexander, and he wasn't in the mood to be coddled by someone he was lying to. _Not lying,_ Magnus reminded himself. _Just not telling him the truth._

His master plan to avoid Alec was foiled, however, by Alec walking straight up to him.

"There you are!"

"What are you doing? Is something wrong?"

"No, I was just… taking a stroll. Don't worry. Hey - the bowls."

"Huh?"

Alec gestured at the dishes Magnus held in his hands. Both were still dirty.

"Yes. About that. It turns out that I'm not great at cleaning without magic."

"Don't worry - I'm sure you'll get your magic back soon," Alec said, in such earnest sympathy that Magnus' heart felt tight. "Until then, however, I'm going to have to show you how to wash dishes. You're pathetic."

Well, there went the sympathy. Magnus exhaled. "Of course. After all - it can't just be you washing the dishes in our apartment. That'd be inefficient."

Alec had already started towards the river and was grinning like a little kid. "I know this is going to sound dumb, but I'm… I'm kinda excited."

"Me too," Magnus agreed, a genuine smile taking over his worry. "It's going to be so much fun. But fair warning - I'm not changing my aesthetic for you. You're going to have to work around my taste in interior design."

"I'm okay with that, as long as I get a space for my weapons. Somewhere accessible. And as long as I have a place to store my clothes - I don't want to have to dig through piles of sequinned fabric to get to my stuff."

"I should have mentioned this earlier, but visible nephilim weapons and black clothing is the exact opposite of my aesthetic."

"Huh. I've never considered what my… _aesthetic…_ would be, but I think if I had one, that'd be it."

"Well… I suppose I'll have to make do, then. It won't be too hard - I always have room for more clothes, and for your weapons… I suppose I could make some room near the door. But not too near, so when we have unexpected visitors, that won't be the first thing they see."

"Yeah, or else they'll think we're prepared to kill them."

"I won't have you ruining my social life."

"Speaking of… I'm not a very social person."

"Really? I hadn't noticed. Don't worry, Alexander - I don't throw _that_ many parties, and even when I do, I have a hideout room that nobody knows about. It has snacks and wifi."

"Have I told you how much I love you?"

They neared the river, and Alec took a bowl from Magnus, kneeling beside the river. Magnus glanced up and down the bank - no sign of Clary. She must be back at the camp. She wouldn't say anything - of course she wouldn't. Neither of them would.

"What are you waiting for? An invitation?"

"My apologies," Magnus said, kneeling next to Alec. Usually, he'd protest having to kneel in mud, but his silver jeans had already been through a lot - surely, a little dirt wouldn't hurt them.

Wow. He couldn't believe he'd just thought that. Was there really a part of him that didn't care for the preservation of clothing, that didn't mind a bit of mud? Surely not. Maybe - just maybe - Alec was rubbing off on him.

"Like this," Alec said, rinsing the pot in the water.

"It doesn't seem like there's much to it," admitted Magnus.

"Well, there'd be a bit more if we had detergent and a sponge, but you're right. It isn't complicated at all. Oh well. You caught me - I just wanted to spend more time with you. Is that such a crime?"

"Never," Magnus murmured, the words barely escaping his lips before Alec occupied them. They sat there, in the mud, in the dirt, still-dirty dishes discarded beside them. In that moment, it was them, just them. As it would be as soon as they got back, and Alec moved in with him, and the world was set right.

 _As soon as they got back._

Despite the utter bliss that was Alec, a niggling voice in the back of Magnus' mind kept bothering him, kept reminding him that if they did want to get back, his magic was the safest bet. His magic, that was so close and yet so far. His magic, that only he could do anything about. His magic, that was as much a part of him as his thoughts, that he had no power over.

And so, despite Alec's kisses, despite the promise of a wonderful future, despite anything and everything good that had ever come his way, Magnus couldn't help but feel like he'd failed everyone somehow. And that stung.

* * *

Luke hung up the phone and turned to Jocelyn. He didn't need to say anything - she had heard his side of the conversation. She slumped onto the table next to them.

"No luck?" The owner of the camping grounds that they were staying in was waiting in the doorway. Luke shook his head gravely. Mercifully, the owner, a woman by the name of Ellen, nodded with understanding and gave them a moment alone in her office. They had frequented it over the past few days, seeing as it had the best reception in the park - that, and it was shielded from the curious eyes of fellow campers. By now, the entire park was on alert for a band of six teenagers, two female and four male, who could be anywhere in the woods. The description was vague, and somewhat ill-fitting - Jocelyn had pointed out that Magnus was not a teenager, but Luke thought it easier than trying to guess how old Magnus looked. _Besides_ , he had argued, _nobody is going to_ look _for them, they're just going to let us know if they see them. And if they see a group of six people, most of them teenagers, that'll probably be enough to trigger a few alarm bells._

Jocelyn didn't want to point out that there may not be six of them, not if they split up, or… or if one was missing. She didn't want to point out that there was no guarantee that they were even in the woods, that they could be anywhere along the road from the Institute to where they were, or even farther depending on what had happened. She didn't want to point out that maybe they'd be glamoured, changing their appearance or erasing every trace of them. All of these things concerned her, but she didn't want to point them out, because she didn't want Luke to know how stressed she really was. Not because she didn't trust Luke, but instead because she was afraid that seeing her as nervous as she was would lead him to do something stupid. He was reasonable, thank the Angel, but he was incredibly loyal, and if a member of his pack - or indeed, his family - was threatened, his protective instincts would kick in.

So she just smiled weakly, knowing that he didn't buy her confidence, knowing that whatever she did, he wouldn't be convinced she wasn't concerned, but putting on a brave face anyway. It didn't matter that the police had still found nothing. It didn't matter that there was no trace of human habitation in the forest so far. Everything was going to be okay.

* * *

By the time night fell, Jace was almost in hysterics. He had waited all day in suspense, hovering in and around his tent, keeping an eye out for Alec. So far, his revenge had not manifested, and neither had he - he was still taking his 'stroll'. This incredibly long walk of his would have worried Jace even more, had Magnus not also been missing.

 _But,_ a tiny voice in Jace's head said, _what if Magnus is helping him execute the plan? What if you now have a warlock against you as well? You hurt Alec, and you know what that means - you hurt Magnus, too._

 _Shut up,_ Jace told the tiny voice. _You're making things worse._

 _You can only deny it for so long,_ the tiny voice continued, heedless in spite of Jace's annoyance. _Magnus is in on it too. And Isabelle and Simon - the two of them have kept to themselves all day. Simon hasn't made one attempt to make a fool out of you. Something must be wrong._

 _Don't be ridiculous,_ Jace countered. _So what if they haven't talked to me? Not everything revolves around me._

 _Listen to yourself,_ the voice sneered.

Jace frowned. It had a point.

 _And Clary -_

 _Not Clary. Never Clary._

 _Yes, Clary. She's on edge. Can't you see it? Something's wrong._

 _You're right,_ Jace admitted. _Something's a little off with Clary. I should talk to her - whatever it is, we can deal with together._

 _Or,_ the voice pointed out, _you could just assume the worst and stay away from her._

 _That_ is _an option,_ agreed Jace.

However, before Jace _or_ his little voice could finish debating, Alec and Magnus strolled back into the camp.

"Took you long enough. And look - you didn't even clean the bowls," Izzy said, gesturing at the dishes they held in their hands.

"Sorry. I was distracted," mumbled Magnus. Alec bit back a laugh.

"You were gone for _hours,_ " Simon said incredulously. "Not even you two could be so 'distracted'."

"Fine," Alec said, "we were busy making plans."

 _Plans._ They _were_ plotting against him. Jace scurried back into his tent. Nope. Nope. Nope. He knew Alec's fighting style - it was quick and efficient, no unnecessary glamour. He had seen Alec in action. He was not looking forward to whatever destruction Alec was about to unleash. Not at all.

Back outside the tent, Simon shot Alec a quizzical look. "I don't know what you did, but whatever it was, teach me. I want to be able to make Jace that nervous."

"Charmer, aren't you?" Alec strode over to the entrance to Jace's tent. "Hey, Jace?"

A muffled whimper.

"You okay, buddy?"

"Look… I know that I fucked up. I'm sorry. Really. But… whatever you're planning to do to me, whatever revenge you're looking to enact… just get it over with. I'm dying over here."

Alec laughed to himself. "You've worked yourself into hysterics."

"Have not."

"Jace, we're parabatai. I can feel your fear - your heart is racing. You think we're in battle or something."

"Aren't we? Aren't you about to unleash hell?"

"About that…"

Jace opened the flap of the tent. "Alexander Lightwood, be careful with your next few words. If they are what I think they're going to be - "

"I'm not going to do anything to you."

Jace cleared his throat, getting to his feet. "Do you mean to tell me that I've spent the entire day worrying over nothing?"

Alec nodded, quite content with himself. Jace shook his head.

"No. You don't get to be happy about yourself here. You just told me that you and Magnus were making plans."

"Yeah. For his - _our -_ apartment."

"But… but…"

"Wow. I think this is the first time that Jace Herondale has ever been at a loss for words."

Jace sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. As the others watched, his shoulders slowly began to bounce, as if he was -

"Is Jace _crying?"_

"I'm laughing, Simon. You got me. All of you. Good job."

"All of us?" Izzy frowned. "This was all Alec's doing."

"Of course. Of course it was."

And so the end of the day saw the campers laughing over Jace's hysteria, and settling down into their tents. They maintained the same arrangements as the night before, so Clary was making her way into Jace's tent when she was stopped by Magnus.

"Clarissa, may I have a word?"

Her lighthearted smile from before, when she had been watching the boys' antics play out, faded. He pulled her aside, behind the tree that overlooked their camp. "What's wrong?"

"Biscuit… I can't do this. I can't lie to Alec."

"You can't tell him. He'll hate me."

"I'm sure he'd respect your decision. I just need to let him know that there's a way out."

"There's more than one way out, Magnus, and you know for a fact that your magic is one of them. I hate keeping secrets too, but I'm not about to tell Jace your secret. That is, unless you were to tell mine to Alec. Then I may reconsider."

"Don't do this to me," he whispered.

"I have to. I'm sorry."

She was. She genuinely was. She couldn't let the others know that she'd had the capacity all along to get them out of here, but she had refrained from doing so because she was worried. By the same token, she understood why Magnus didn't want the others to know that his magic was getting better, but it wasn't there yet. It was an embarrassment to him, and it would make him feel even guiltier that he could do nothing. She hated that things were the way they were, but there was no other way - secrets had to be kept.

She staggered away from him, finding her way into the tent without breaking eye contact with him. She searched his face for any sign that he'd give her away. All she could see, however, was hurt - the hurt she caused, the hurt the secrets caused. It made her feel like absolute shit - but, as she reminded herself, _it's necessary._

* * *

The moon rose high above the camp, not a cloud in the sky. Another night rolled in, and despite the lighthearted antics of the group, worry was settling too. A way out of their situation seemed less and less likely as time wore on. _At least_ , Isabelle thought to herself as she fell asleep next to Simon, breathing in the scent that was so unmistakably him, _we have each other._

Until, of course, they didn't.


	10. Frenzy

She awoke to the ice setting into her bones. Gasping for air, her eyes snapped open to a dark tent. The air wasn't cold - in fact, if she held a hand to her chest, her skin was hot. And yet, she was freezing, so much that her breathing was raspy. Her body shook with the effort of taking each breath. The sleeping bag was wrapped tightly around her and her pyjamas were warm, and yet it seemed that nothing could abate this aching chill that now consumed her.

 _Breathe,_ she told herself, but even that was hard. She twisted herself up as much as she could, trying to use the warmth of her skin as a source of heat. It was no use - despite feeling heat on her skin, the cold seemed to come from inside of her.

There was only one possible cause for this infernal ice - not magic, not demons, nothing supernatural at all. No. Isabelle Lightwood had a fever.

It had set in fairly quickly - she hadn't felt ill at all recently. In fact, her ankle had just stopped giving her trouble. And yet all of a sudden, it had struck her. She sighed. Oh well. Hopefully she was the only one who had it - it'd be a lot harder for them to find their way back if they were _all_ sick.

She rolled over, hoping that Simon wasn't in the same predicament as her.

Except.

Except.

He was gone.

Panic rose in her throat, and she gulped down her next shuddering breath. _It's okay,_ she told herself. _He probably just realised you're sick, and decided to get some space. He wouldn't want to get sick too._

Yes. Perhaps she would open the tent door, and he'd be outside, wrapped in a sleeping bag, worried about getting sick but too polite to disturb her.

But his sleeping bag was still in the tent, next to her, where he should have been. She sat up, the world swimming around her as she did. She knew that she should lie down and sleep, in the interest of her own health, but she'd never fall asleep not knowing where Simon was.

It was still dark as she stumbled outside, meaning she couldn't see far, but from what she could see Simon wasn't there.

That was okay.

Everything was okay.

Simon was probably with Clary. And Jace.

No, that couldn't be right.

He was probably with Magnus. And… Alec.

Nope. Not after what happened two days ago.

 _Logic, Isabelle,_ she reprimanded, _he's probably just… using the bathroom. Going for a stroll. It's okay. He knows what he's doing._

She hadn't realised, but her breath had stopped being shaky. Just like that. And she felt warmth again. And she realised how incredibly tired she was. It was like her body was not her own, as if some external force led her back into the tent, because despite her newfound panic for Simon, she fell asleep as soon as her eyes shut again.

* * *

When Magnus woke up, Alexander wasn't beside him. His momentary heart attack was quelled when he scrambled outside to find Alec sitting in front of a fire, making breakfast for them all. Without speaking, he handed Magnus his usual mug of warm water for the morning.

 _God,_ Magnus was in love.

"How are you?"

Magnus sat down next to him. "I'm… I'm well, thanks. And yourself?"

"I'm pretty good too. I mean… a change of scenery would be nice, but I have to admit. We should do this whole 'stranded in the wilderness' thing more often. I feel… wholesome. Like I've discovered something about myself. It's kind of nice to have to fend for yourself. And it's not like we've been… you know, karate-chopping bears in the face and wrestling with alligators to get to a half-eaten salmon carcass or anything… _dramatic_ like that, but I do feel like I've accomplished something. Kinda."

Magnus leant his head on Alec's shoulder. "Yeah. It's been so hard, roughing it in these spacious tents, with all of these changes of clothes, and this food… God, Alexander, it's not _organic._ It makes me want to cry."

"Ha ha. Very funny. Next time I have a thought I'll just keep my mouth shut. Something that you, of course, would know nothing about."

Despite himself, Magnus snorted. "Okay. Good one."

Alec playfully shoved him, only for Magnus to lean right back in to Alec. "But seriously. Don't you feel a kind of… primal bond? Maybe I'm clutching at straws here, but surely you've got to kinda-sorta agree with me. It's like this experience has made us a unit, of sorts. Like… we're just now realising that we're all kinda annoying, but we're getting over it. You know?"

"Mm."

"I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe we're all fostering a deep-seated hatred of each other, and I missed the memo."

"No, no, I agree." Magnus cleared his throat. "Yeah. I feel… more tolerant."

"Yeah. Me too. And coming from someone who's not very tolerant of people… I don't know. I just think that maybe, some good could have come of this mess."

"Look at you. My little silver-lining-finding ray of sunshine."

"I honestly can't tell if you're mocking me or not."

"I'm not. Don't worry."

Magnus didn't have it in him to say any more about Alec's optimism - not when he knew Alec was just trying to make light of a bad situation. A bad situation that could have been avoided.

He couldn't do this. Couldn't lie to Alec.

"Alec - "

"Simon!"

Isabelle crashed out of her tent. Magnus could think of no better way to describe it than crashing - it was so hurried, so frantic, that it could have been accentuated with the resounding clang of cymbals.

"Iz!" Alec was already on his feet, rushing to his sister.

"Simon - he's gone. He was gone in the night, and he's still gone now. He's - he's - "

"Iz, stop. Stop! Sit down."

She did not. She stood, swaying slightly, breathing deeply.

"Please, Iz. You look awful."

And she did. She looked pale, too pale, and there was sweat on her forehead, sweat that couldn't have been accumulated from her frantic entrance alone. Magnus got to his feet too, trying to approach her alongside her brother.

"Okay, first of all, piss off, I do not. I look hot. Second - "

"If by hot, you mean feverishly hot, then yes. Yes you do." Magnus put the back of his hand to her forehead, ignoring her halfhearted hiss. "Yep. Definitely a fever."

"We don't have time for this! Simon's missing!"

"Huh?"

Clary clambered out of her tent, obviously having dressed hurriedly. Magnus didn't feel it appropriate to point out that her shirt was on backwards.

"Simon… he's gone. I don't know where he is. I don't know when he went. But I woke up this morning and he was gone but I… I just fell back to sleep. Because I'm a terrible person."

"Iz, you're not a terrible person. You're a _sick_ person," Alec said, helping her sit down.

"Gee, Alec, thanks for the comforting sentiment. I'm a sick and twisted person. That makes me feel _great."_

"No - I meant - goddamnit, Isabelle, I meant you have a fever. Of course you wanted to sleep. I want to sleep all the time and I'm not using energy fighting a virus - you must be exhausted."

"Stop focussing on me. Focus on Simon."

"Yeah, it's what he'd want us to do in his absence, I'm sure of it."

As a way of returning the charming greeting, Isabelle flipped Jace off as he exited his tent. He shrugged. "I'm just saying."

"Well, _I'm_ just saying that Simon could be anywhere, and the more time we waste on something as stupid as a high temperature, the further he'll get. We need to find him. Now."

Clary nodded understandingly. "I know, Izzy, I know - I want to find him too. Trust me. But your health - "

"Simon could be hurt, or worse. Who gives a shit about _my_ health?"

"Simon," Magnus said softly. She turned to him, a cross between accusation and heartbreaking sadness in her eyes. "Simon cares."

"I care about him, too. That's why I - "

"We know you care, Iz. But think of it this way - you're in no shape to go looking for him. We could split up to try and find him, but who knows how far he's gotten. It's far more important we deal with you right now. Okay?" Alec looked at her with such intensity that it almost softened her resolve. Magnus knew for a fact that Alec would get his way - Isabelle was in no shape to argue with him, not when he cared so much about her health.

"I agree with Alexander. We split up." Saying that startled even him, and the four others turned to him in confusion - even Alec, which wasn't reassuring. "We send out a search-and-rescue team, and the others stay here - with Isabelle - until she recovers."

"No. I'm not going to sit around and do nothing," she spat, getting to her feet.

"Iz," Alec said carefully, trying to coax her to sit back down. There was an unsteadiness to her, but she showed no signs of backing down.

"I refuse to just… to just…"

And then the colour drained from her face, and she dropped to the floor in a dead faint. Alec caught her torso, slowly easing her onto the ground.

"Shit. What do we do?"

"It's okay. We do as you said. If she's unconscious now, she won't object to a search party leaving without her."

Alec scowled at him. Magnus sighed. "Not the time for a joke?"

"Jace and I will go to look for him," Clary volunteered, putting on some shoes. "You two stay with Isabelle."

"No. We need as many people as possible looking for Simon. You'll cover more ground, even if you don't entirely split up. Magnus, you go with them."

Magnus faltered. No - he needed to be with Isabelle. Because if he were with Isabelle, he could use his magic to heal her. He had planned to do it when the others had their backs turned, to avoid revealing that he had his magic back, but if he left her alone with Alec…

Magnus crouched down next to him. "Alexander… you should go with them. She'll be okay with me."

Alec's frown deepened as he looked into Magnus' eyes. Magnus didn't need to say any more, because in a way that only he could, Alec read his expression, his tentativeness, his worry, and he understood everything. He understood that Magnus intended to heal Izzy with his magic.

And he understood that Magnus had been keeping something from him.

Before he could say anything else, Alec stood up and walked off. "Follow me," he barked, and Jace and Clary had no choice but to oblige. Alec, it seemed, had gotten dressed right after he'd woken up, and needed no reason to delay their operation any longer. The three of them got smaller and smaller as they walked away, leaving Magnus alone with Isabelle.

* * *

Alec hadn't said a word to the others and was striding ahead, his eyes focussed on the air in front of his face. He didn't like that he'd snapped in that way at Magnus. He didn't like being hostile towards him. But more than that, he didn't like that Magnus had his magic back and hadn't told him.

It took a lot of concentrated magic to heal a person, especially if the issue was not an external wound. Changing the flavour of a bowl of porridge was one thing, but if Magnus thought he could do _this…_

He shook his head, refusing to entertain his doubt. Maybe Magnus was just being optimistic. Maybe he had read him wrong, and Magnus just thought he was a more capable nurse than Alec was. Maybe.

But maybe Magnus _did_ have his magic back. Fully. Maybe he had had it all along, and was just forcing them to wait it out in this stupid forest to teach them some twisted Aesopian lesson, except the moral of the story still eluded him. Maybe Magnus was just a sadist who drew the line at febrile women. Who knew.

"Alec!"

Jace's shout brought him back to reality. He stopped and turned to face Jace, and was shocked to see that he was at least twenty paces ahead of the others who were jogging to keep up.

"Alec. Stop. Walking. So. Fast." Clary panted as she neared him. "I don't need this kind of exercise this early in the morning."

"Why are you going so fast? You were going at like… a hundred miles an hour… holy shit, I need a second to catch my breath," Jace muttered as he came to a stop before his parabatai.

Huh. Maybe in his concentration, he had sped up.

Clary, who had just caught up to them and was still breathing heavily, glared up at him. "Your legs… are at least twice as long… as my entire body… please be mindful… that some of us… have little legs… and cannot move… fast…"

"Sorry," Alec mumbled. In any other circumstance, he would have found this hilarious, and possibly doubled his pace just to spite them. But his heart wasn't in it. Not today.

Jace, sensing something was wrong, patted him on the back. "It's okay, Alec. She'll be okay."

It took him a second to realise that Jace was talking about Izzy, and a further second for him to remember that Izzy had just keeled over in a dead faint. Right.

"Right."

"Okay. Well. Just remember that Simon could be anywhere, and so it's not about getting places quickly, it's about observing. So you may want to slow down a bit, if only so we can keep up."

"Right," Alec said again.

"Good." Jace nodded. "Let's keep going."

* * *

Part of Magnus didn't want to do anything ever again. As soon as they got back, he'd lock himself in his apartment and live out the rest of his days as a hermit with an affinity for cats. However, considering 'the rest of his days' meant the rest of eternity, that didn't seem like such a great idea.

But despite its flaws, that plan had one solid principle that Magnus approved of : it meant never facing Alexander ever again.

Okay. Perhaps he was being a bit dramatic. Just a _little_ over the top. That was okay, though - that was Magnus' 'thing'. Dramatic flair. And now that it was just him and Isabelle Lightwood, who was groaning to herself on the floor, it seemed like no one was about to tell him that he was being unreasonable. So there.

But his confidence was shaky, and that wasn't helped by the fact that all he could see was Alec's betrayed and disappointed look just before he stalked off. He should have told him before. He should have told him. He should have told him. He should have told him.

He should have told him in a different way - one where he could explain the circumstances, explain that he didn't fully have his magic back, that keeping it from him was to keep him from being disappointed -

But now, Alec was going to think his magic was as good as new. He'd assume the worst. He wouldn't want to - he'd try to convince himself of a better reality - but his doubt would get the better of him, and he'd assume Magnus had had his power hidden all along.

Great. Just great. Everything was just _perfect_.

"Are you just going to sit there, or are you going to help me?"

Magnus jumped, and Izzy rolled her eyes. Even when indisposed, she had no time for his shit.

"Aren't you going to get mad at me?" Magnus asked, feeling his magic respond to its environment, preparing itself.

"For what? Getting rid of my fever? Yes - curse you, you meddling fiend, I had intended to waste away with a burning fever whilst my friends searched for my mysteriously missing boyfriend. My plans are well and truly foiled. How will I ever forgive you?"

Now it was Magnus' turn to roll his eyes. "I mean, aren't you going to get mad at me for not telling anyone about my magic?"

"Your magic? You already told us."

He paused.

"You said that it was coming back, but it wasn't strong enough, so instead of making cheeseburgers, you'd stick to resting." She hesitated, studying his face. "But that's changed, hasn't it?"

Shit. Now he'd have to tell someone else.

"Yeah. About that…"

His magic flared up in his fingers, blue sparks appearing as he shrugged. To her credit, Isabelle took it well - by throwing up.

"Really? Is it really that bad that I didn't tell anyone?"

"Don't take the vomit personally. I've felt nauseous for the past ten minutes. But that doesn't mean I'm not pissed at you lying to us."

"I didn't lie! I just didn't tell the whole truth."

"That's bullshit, and you know it. You had every opportunity to tell us you got your magic back - "

"I didn't! Not entirely, anyway. When I have it, it's strong, possibly strong enough to move people, but… it's fickle. It has a mind of its own. It doesn't like to be told what to do."

"Well, in that respect the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, considering your one job was to fix me and yet here we are, still sitting on the ground. Well. _You're_ sitting on the ground. I'm lying here. Surrounded by vomit."

"Okay. Fine. We'll talk about this later. Just… be quiet. Please. I need to concentrate on healing you. Shh."

Reluctantly, Izzy shut her eyes and let Magnus, quite literally, work his magic. He focussed as hard as he could on Isabelle, on the fever that lay within her, and slowly used his magic to coax it out, stun it, and destroy it. It was… unsettlingly easy. He hated that it was so easy. He hated how unnecessary it had been to keep this from Alec - that really, if he had told everyone, if he had _tried,_ they could have been out of there already.

Ugh.

Why was everything so complicated?

"Is everything okay?" Isabelle asked, watching him scowling.

"Yeah. No. Just… be quiet."

In fact, he was almost done. He didn't need silence, but he wanted it. He wasn't in the mood to talk. But Isabelle, the human polygraph test, cleared her throat.

"Magnus. You're going to need to talk to Alec."

"Uh huh," he mumbled under his breath, his heart not in it.

"And when you do, he's going to be mad."

"Yep."

"As he has every right to be."

"Hmm."

"But you're going to sort things out, like you always do."

"Sure."

"And when you do sort things out, you're going to use your magic, no matter how limited it is, and you're going to get us out of here."

"Mhmm."

"And then we'll all live happily after. The end."

"Right. Seems simple enough."

"Exactly."

Except it wasn't. Not at all. Not in the slightest.

"Magnus… I know that everyone's going to be pissed at you for not telling them, but… you have to tell them. It's not fair otherwise. It's our only way out."

But.

 _But_.

It wasn't.

* * *

"Simon! Simon!"

"If he could hear us, I'm sure he'd have come out by now. It's not like he's hiding from us or anything."

"I'm just trying to help, Alec. You don't have to snarl at everything I say."

"I'm just saying. It's futile to yell. We're making enough noise as it is."

"Simon's a mundane. He doesn't have Shadowhunter hearing. Besides - I think it'd be more comforting for him to hear someone calling for him than a bunch of random footsteps walking his way."

Alec muttered something indistinguishable, and Clary sighed. "You're impossible today."

"Stop fighting, you two. We're on a mission here."

Alec, expression still sour, nodded curtly. "Right. Well. In that case, let's split up. We'll cover more ground."

"Alec, that's a terrible idea."

"How?" He positively dwarfed Clary, and his foul mood made his height even more intimidating, but she didn't back down.

"Because if we split up, it means there'll be someone else wandering the forest alone."

"And why is that bad?"

"They might get lost."

"Might. But also, might not."

"Why are you so determined to prove me wrong?" Clary snapped at him. Jace, wanting to intervene but afraid of Clary's and Alec's ire, watched from the sidelines.

"Just… just…" Alec fought for the words he wanted to say.

 _Just stop talking,_ he wanted to yell.

 _Stop being right._

 _Stop knowing what to do._

 _Stop._

But he did not want to yell any of that, because that would make him look pathetic. Instead, he threw up his hands, and yelled: "Just shut the fuck up!"

"Alec," Jace hissed, but Clary threw out a hand. _Let me deal with this._

"You know what?" Clary's voice was high, as if she was in hysterics. "I don't care any more. We'll split up. Jace and I will go one way, and you'll go the other. If you get lost, it's on you."

Was he wrong to have said that? Definitely. Was he wrong to have asked them to split up? Possibly. But was he going to back down? Never.

"Fine," he spat, and he turned on his heel and left the others where they were.

* * *

Jace watched his parabatai go, a helpless expression on his face. Clary stood between the two of them, her red hair bright against the green surrounds. Her small frame was heaving as she took deep breaths, clearly fuming at Alec's outburst. Jace couldn't blame her - after Alec's pissy mood, he too was annoyed at his parabatai.

"Thanks for the help, Jace. For someone who usually doesn't shut up, you didn't say much at all."

"I didn't want to have to choose sides."

"Wait, so you actually considered Alec's side worth defending?"

"No, I - I just didn't want to gang up on Alec. He's in a bad mood for some reason."

"Well, now that bad mood is going to get _him_ lost, too."

"Should we go after him?"

"No way. I don't want to spend a second longer with that insufferable prick. Not today. I just want to find Simon and be done with it."

"Don't you think you're… I don't know, over-exaggerating? Just a little?"

Her outraged glare silenced that thought quickly. "Over-exaggerating? You saw him. He stormed off in a huff over _nothing._ You can't accuse me of over-exaggerating."

"I'm just saying. You seem kind of tense too. Not that that's an excuse for his actions, but… you know. Are you feeling alright?"

"Jace… you can't… you can't _accuse me…_ You're as bad as him."

No. Something was definitely wrong. Through her livid scowl, he could see her falter. But whatever it was, she didn't want him to know, so she spun away and began walking in the opposite direction to the one Alec had gone in. Jace frowned. He was torn between his girlfriend and his parabatai. Both were annoyed at something, something that escaped Jace, and he knew he'd have similar luck getting it out of either of them. He looked to his right, where Alec had gone. He could no longer see him. With a reluctant groan, he turned and left the way Clary had, following her bobbing red hair through the trees.

* * *

"Feeling better?"

Isabelle sat up. "No nausea. No vision blacking out. I'd say that's a start."

"Good. Excellent. Fever is always hard to get out, but - what are you doing?"

She got to her feet. "Standing up. What does it look like I'm doing?"

"You need to take it way slower than that. I'm not sure if I've gotten rid of it completely."

"Come on. It's a random fever that I've had for a few hours. It can't be that difficult."

Magnus ignored her, checking her forehead. "Well, at least you're not burning anymore."

"Great. Let's go find Simon."

"What? No. We're not leaving. You're not well enough."

"You just said I was fine!"

"No I didn't! I explicitly said you were _not_ fine!"

But Isabelle was not listening. She pulled on her shoes as Magnus watched helplessly.

"Isabelle - hear me out."

"No. I want to find Simon."

"What if he makes his way back to the camp?"

"Then he'll have the sense to stay put until we all get back."

"Isabelle. Come on." Alec was already mad at him - he didn't need losing Isabelle to be another black mark against his name. But she wasn't having it - she had already hobbled away. _Shit._ She wouldn't last half an hour in her incapacitated state - the fever was stunned, but not gone. It'd be back soon enough, and Isabelle would be all alone when it struck.

Unless, of course, he went with her.

Which meant abandoning their post and leaving the camp completely unattended, so that if Simon managed to find his way back, he'd be completely alone.

As Isabelle stumbled further, Magnus sighed and followed after her. Simon would be alright - if Isabelle thought he had enough sense to stay put, then maybe he would. All that was left for Magnus and Izzy was to find the others - but that wouldn't be too hard, would it?

* * *

Alec was seething by the time he found a rock to sit on. He hadn't been looking around for Simon, or attempting to make noise for Simon to hear. Instead, he had been so caught up in his thoughts that, for the integrity of the mission, he thought it best he sat down.

He wasn't even pissed at Magnus anymore. Okay, that was a lie - he was. Very much so. But to be honest, he didn't care all that much about the fact that Magnus hid his magic from him. He probably had his reasons.

Probably.

No, what was bugging Alec now was that Magnus hadn't _used_ his magic. He didn't care whether or not he knew about Magnus' magic being back to normal, so long as it meant he could get out of the forest. It would have been fine if Alec had woken up back in New York with no memory of ever being here. But Magnus had _known_ his magic was strong enough to take care of Iz, and for no reason that Alec could think of, had decided to bottle it up and ignore it. Didn't Magnus want to get out too? What could he possibly enjoy about this infernal wilderness? Even the positives he had managed to brainstorm that morning had long since disappeared - the unity he thought had formed had cracked under pressure. Everything had fallen to pieces in the timespan of an hour for no valid reason except -

Simon. He was pissed at Simon too.

Simon, who, for some reason, decided to wander the woods alone early in the morning without so much as a 'goodbye'. Simon, who was the least prepared out of any of them to handle anything remotely challenging. Simon, who, if he had shared a tent with Izzy, could quite possibly also have a fever, and could be hallucinating his way off a cliff by now.

Oh, shit.

That was a good point.

Maybe Simon _was_ sick, and maybe he had wandered off due to that. Alec made a mental note to tell that to Magnus when he got back.

And then, of course, he remembered that he didn't particularly feel like speaking to Magnus. He'd figure it out by himself. _Unless, of course, that was another thing he already knew about._

Ugh. He hated holding grudges against Magnus, especially when Magnus was currently healing his sister with the magic that he could have used to track Simon -

Track Simon. Of course. Why hadn't anyone thought of that?

Alec jumped to his feet and, figuring he wasn't helping their cause much anyway, started jogging back to their campsite.

* * *

"Is that a footprint?"

"No. It's too small."

"I don't understand… how could he have gotten so far in so little time?"

"We could be going in the completly wrong direction. He may not have come this way at all." Jace ran a hand through his hair, considering their options. "I don't know, Clary… finding him's going to be near impossible. Our best bet is to get back to camp and hope he turns up."

"But something could have happened! He could be hurt!"

Jace stared at her, powerless against her determination. He knew she'd never give up, never go back to that camp, so long as Simon was still out there. Perhaps he wasn't. Perhaps he'd made his way back to the camp already, and was waiting with Izzy and Magnus. Perhaps Alec had found him, and the two of them were meandering between the trees. Perhaps this whole search was in vain.

But Clary would never give in. Not when Simon was on the line.

"What's that?"

He stopped debating how to let her down gently and looked up. She was pointing to something that he couldn't quite make out. Before he could warn her from wandering off, she had scrambled over to whatever had caught her attention.

" _Clary - "_

"I… I think it's a shirt…"

"A shirt? Is it… is it Simon's?"

She picked it up, examining the muddied material. It was indeed a shirt, and it only took one glance at the design printed on it ( _'Insert Witty Pun Here'_ in block blue letters) to confirm that it was Simon's.

"So what… Simon's just running around… half naked? That can't be right."

"But this… this is _his_ shirt! I know it is! He impulse bought it from eBay at 2 AM during a sleepover with me. And that little stain is from where I got paint on him when he snuck up on me. It has to be his."

"But… I don't think I've ever seen this shirt before. Not in the past few days, at least."

"So?"

" _So,_ he must have gotten changed before he left. And if he left early in the morning, that meant he got changed at some ridiculous hour. Which means…"

"He left… by choice…" Clary trailed off, staring at the grey shirt in her hands. "None of this makes sense. At all."

"I know. I'm confused too. But at least we know we're heading in the right direction, right?"

"Right," Clary mumbled, but she didn't seem convinced at all. "I just… I don't get why he would take his shirt off. It's freezing."

"Well…" Jace shrugged. "I wouldn't say it's freezing. Just… a little on the chilly side."

"I don't care, Jace. At all."

"Ah. Right. I see. I was just trying to lighten the mood."

"Mhmm," she muttered, walking away from him and clutching the shirt tightly. _Let it be,_ Jace told himself. _She's just… distracted._ But he couldn't shake that niggling feeling that something was wrong. He wanted to sit her down, to talk about what was bothering her - other than the fact that her best friend had vanished, because he could tell there was something else - but before he had a chance to do so, his thoughts were interrupted by Isabelle crashing through the trees.

"Izzy?"

Her face was pale, and her lips were almost the same shade as her skin, but the fierceness in her eyes instantly alerted Jace to why Magnus had let her go. Assuming, of course, that Magnus had, in fact, let her go. By the way that Magnus stumbled after her, his hands held out as if ready to catch her if she fell over at any moment, Jace deduced that he had not.

"Have you found him?"

"No, but we found this." Clary held out the shirt, and Isabelle took it. Maybe she was delirious from the fever, but she leant in and sniffed it. As if she was a hound, chasing after Simon's scent.

"This is definitely his. And he was wearing it recently."

"You can tell all that from one whiff?" Jace didn't know whether to be disgusted or impressed.

"It smells like sweat. Do you think he'd pack a sweaty shirt to go on a camping trip?"

"Fair point."

"Where did you find it?"

"Just there," Clary said, pointing to the floor where it had been.

"Okay. We need to search around it, in all directions, looking as closely as possible for any indication that Simon was there. For whatever reason, he decided to take off his shirt and discard it here, so if you see anything that would explain that, it'd help."

Clary had a sudden, deeply unsettling realisation. Why _would_ Simon have taken off his shirt and left it _here?_ He loved that shirt, and seeing as there was nothing remarkable about their environment, it didn't seem likely that he'd be able to find it again after he left. Unless, of course, he had left it for them to find. But why would he be leaving a trail for them to follow? Was this a game he was playing, or… was there someone holding him hostage?

It seemed like a long shot, but Clary could see the scene playing out in front of her - some foul creature had crawled into Simon and Izzy's tent, grabbing Simon and stifling his screams somehow. Izzy, in her fevered state, hadn't noticed his writhing around. In a last-ditch attempt to hold onto something, Simon grabbed at his bag, only to find his grip snared on a shirt as he was dragged away. He had been hauled through the forest somehow, and in an effort to leave a trail, he threw the shirt he had grabbed (and had held so tightly that it was now sweat-drenched) onto the forest floor. She gulped.

Isabelle gave out some more directions, and began to comb the floor with her intense gaze. Magnus held out a hand to steady her, but she waved it away. With a sigh, Magnus lowered his hands, and looked at the others. Clary noticed how reluctant he seemed - as if he didn't _want_ to acknowledge there were others there, but he had to. However, once he had looked at Clary, and then at Jace, he went rigid.

"Where's Alexander?"

Jace swallowed, and looked to Clary. She stared pointedly back at him before helping Isabelle search the surrounds. He turned his attention back to Magnus, who had fixed him with a steely glare.

"He wanted to split up."

"And you let him?"

"I had to." The rest of the sentiment went unspoken. _It was him or Clary._

"Unbelievable," Magnus muttered, wringing his hands. "You say he's your brother - no, _closer_ than your brother - and yet you allow him to be so… reckless?"

"He's not a baby. He can handle himself." Of course Jace was against Alec walking off. Of course, if he could have, he would have prevented it. But now that Magnus had attacked Jace, he couldn't help but defend himself.

"I know that he's not a child, but he's… he's got a lot on his mind right now. Couldn't you tell? I'd bet you anything that he only wanted to split up because one of you annoyed him."

"What does he have on his mind that I don't? Yes, Izzy's sick, but she's my sister too. And I don't think he cares _that_ much more about Simon than I do. I've got shit on my mind, but that doesn't mean I get to storm off in a tantrum for no good reason."

"It's more complicated than that," Magnus hissed. "At the end of the day, however, you should have known something was wrong, and you should have stopped him. He could be _anywhere."_

That cold reality hit Jace like a slap to the face. He was no longer just 'over there', somewhere Jace was within earshot. This wasn't their normal splitting up. He really had just… left. Alec could have been anywhere. The worry that seemed to wrack Magnus began to set in.

 _Where are you, Alexander?_ Magnus scanned the area, hoping to see him loitering on the horizon, watching from afar. _Where are you?_

 _Breathing, heavy breathing, heart thudding in pace with the rapid footfalls. Crunching leaves underfoot, batting away branches, ducking under low-hanging plants. Running, deadset on one destination._

Magnus stepped backwards in his shock. His breaths were measured, as if he, too, was running. Jace looked at him with concern. "Are you… alright?"

"Running. He's running."

"Who's running?"

"Alec."

"How do _you_ know?"

"I…" Saw it? Heard it? Felt it? "I just _know,_ okay?"

"Fine. Don't tell me. Why's he running? Is he being chased?"

Magnus shook his head. "He didn't seem… afraid. He just seemed focussed. As if he thought of something, something important, and he's running to find it."

"Wait… you could hear his thoughts?" Clary had stopped searching and was staring at him in confusion. "How…"

Isabelle peered up at him. Even in her infirm state, she shot _him_ a cautionary glance, warning him to keep his mouth shut. He could read her expression perfectly: _this is strong magic, Magnus. They'll know your secret._

A cursory glance at Clary, the realisation of what this meant slowly dawning on her, confirmed Izzy's prediction. Magnus shook his head, denying the unspoken accusations.

"I don't know how this happened. It must be… some sort of residue from when he was lost. From when I was t-"

 _Tracking._

The word came to his mind in a flash, but the voice that said it so clearly was not his own. It was Alec's. _Tracking._ Of course. _Of course_. Track Simon. Magnus could have almost kissed Alec. That must have been where he was going - to get something of Simon's so they could track him.

 _Genius._

"Magnus? Are you okay?"

He snapped out of his thoughts, and with a manic grin, looked around at the others. "The shirt. Track Simon with the shirt."

It was perfect. Like a jigsaw piece falling into place. It made Clary's stomach turn.

"Magnus - you have to do it. We didn't bring steles."

Jace took the shirt from Izzy and handed it to him. But the second the garment was in his hands, Magnus didn't want to. He didn't want to track Simon. Nothing against the mundane, of course, but if he was to track Simon, he'd reveal how powerful he really was. And even though everyone present but Jace knew already, and even though it could mean finding Simon, he still felt hesitant. Isabelle watched him nervously, trying to read his expression so she could know his decision before the others. Jace was looking sullen, trying to figure out what was taking so long. And Clary -

"How are you so _selfish?"_

Jace turned to her in alarm, turning his attention from her outrage, to Magnus' panic, to Isabelle's shock, piecing together what was happening.

"Clarissa, I - "

"Do you think that anyone here would care? Do you really think we'd hold it against you?"

Isabelle turned, wide-eyed, to Magnus. "She knew?"

"Knew what?" Jace looked between the three of them, still trying to work out what was happening.

"Yes, she knew, but - "

"Now's not the time! Simon could be… could be anywhere, and you're prioritising your… reputation? Your image? Over… over him!"

Magnus shook his head, but his words failed him. He looked at her anger, and he did nothing. Nothing but grip the shirt in his hands tighter. He flicked his gaze to Isabelle, who nodded slowly. That was all the encouragement she could offer.

With a sour taste in his mouth, Magnus closed his eyes and focussed on tracking Simon.

* * *

Alec had thought through every possible conversation he could have with Magnus. He had figured he'd be prepared for every situation, so as not to look foolish and be caught off guard. He didn't have to be this well-equipped when confronting anybody else - it was just Magnus. Magnus, who had to power to strike him speechless. Magnus, who surprised him by saying the most ridiculous, outlandish and yet endearing things. _Magnus._

Alec decided that whatever direction the conversation went in, it'd be brief. _Not now,_ he'd tell Magnus; _there are more important things right now._ Not only did that show Magnus that this issue wasn't at the forefront of Alec's mind ( _it was it was it was_ ), but it also reminded Magnus that there _was_ an issue that needed discussing, just at a later date. Plus, Alec liked how authoritative it sounded. So he jogged up to the tents, mentally flicking through his repertoire of nonchalant dismissals.

He had to be prepared for anything

And yet upon his arrival at the campsite, it became evident that Magnus had done it again and found some way to catch Alec unawares.

There was nobody there.

He looked inside tents and around the area, but there was no sign of anybody. He stopped looking and, still huffing from his jog, folded his arms in annoyance. How _dare_ Magnus leave? How was Alec supposed to confront (and consequently dismiss) him now? How was going to find out how little Alec cared?

 _He could have gone to find you,_ a little voice thought. Nonsense. That would be a decent thing to do, and Alec could barely stay mad at Magnus for being an asshole, let alone being _decent._

And then Alec remembered Izzy, his sister, who, last he'd heard, was unconscious. Well, if there was no trace of her here, it meant that Magnus had healed her and she'd volunteered to go off in search of Simon - there was no way Magnus would force her if she was unwell.

Alec sighed impatiently. Why did Magnus have to be right about healing Izzy? Why did he have to make it harder for Alec to be angry at him? Why couldn't he be like Jace, who you could love and hate simultaneously and have both emotions constantly justified?

Why… why did Magnus freaking Bane have to be so _perfect?_

 _Not perfect,_ Alec reminded himself. _Not at all. Perfect people don't hide things from people they love._ Involuntarily, his mind wandered back to all of the things he'd hidden. All of the feelings and words that he bottled up and kept from the people he loved most. Alec groaned. Magnus was not perfect - not in the slightest - but neither was he.

Which meant Magnus was perfect for him.

Part of him was disgusted at how cheesy and pathetic that sounded. The other, smaller part of him kinda maybe sorta thought it was cute. But that little part was very little. Very very little.

For a fleeting moment, he forgot why he had dashed so intently back to the camp at all. He was so caught up in how futile being mad at Magnus was that Simon's entire existence slipped his mind.

But, as if some celestial force was bent on Alec staying on track, he was swiftly reminded of why he was there in a rather dramatic way.

"Simon!"

Alec spun around to face the source of the cry. Clary, Isabelle and Jace lurched into his field of vision, led by none other than Magnus freaking Bane himself. The dismay they all evidently felt at seeing Alec was almost offensive.

"You're not Simon," Clary said, having the nerve to sound disappointed. _Stay calm, Alec, stay cool and sarcastic as per usual._

"Yes. I've realised."

Clary and Izzy shot him withering glares, and began to search the tents. Jace seemed very confused, but helped the girls anyway. In fact, the only one who showed a semblance of appreciation for his wit was Magnus, who smirked.

That smirk.

God fucking damn it.

"I don't get it… you said he was here. You tracked him _here_." Clary was even angrier than when he'd left her. Alec had never known someone to be so full of concentrated fury. It was almost as if… as if she was using her bitterness to compensate for something. He knew she was pissed at him for being a twat, and she'd probably be generally frustrated at Simon's disappearance, but underneath all that… It was almost as if she was forcing herself to be annoyed. Hmm.

"I know what I said. I know where I tracked him. And I know that he's supposed to be _here._ " Magnus was still looking at Alec - he could feel his gaze as he observed the floor at his feet. Alec honestly couldn't care less about Simon. Not right now. He just wanted Magnus to say something so that Alec could tell him to stop talking and focus on Simon.

God, he was a hypocrite.

* * *

Magnus knew Alexander was avoiding his gaze. It wasn't that difficult to figure out. As Izzy, Clary and Jace scurried around them, looking through tents and behind trees, the two of them stood perfectly still, only a metre or so apart.

 _Look at me, Alec,_ Magnus willed, but Alec wouldn't. He was waiting for Magnus to say something, but if Magnus didn't know better, Alec would shut him down before he'd said so much as two words.

Fine. If he was going to force Magnus' hand, Magnus would just going to have to oblige.

"Alec - "

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood!"

Alec jumped at Izzy's shrill summons, and any hope Magnus had of talking to Alec disappeared as Izzy stomped up to him. Still pale and swaying slightly, she managed to draw herself up until she seemed to be taller than him.

"Where's Simon?"

"How would I know?"

"Magnus tracked him here. He has to be here. You were here before the rest of us. Where is he?"

"I don't know, Iz."

"Yes, you do! You have to."

"Be logical here. Why would I hide this from you? Why would I hide something so important from somebody I cared about, particularly when others' safety was involved?"

Ouch. Whether or not it was aimed at Magnus, that last sentiment certainly hit its mark.

"But… I just don't understand…" Isabelle's voice dwindled as she searched in vain for an answer in Alec's unreadable face. "Where _is_ he?"

Alec wrapped his arms around her, and she was immediately swallowed, her intimidating figure collapsed in a second. Magnus exhaled slowly, looking around the campsite for an explanation.

He hadn't lied. His magic did tell him that Simon was at the campsite.

Didn't it?

He closed his eyes again, focussed on the thread that had appeared in his mind, focussed on where it was pulling him, and it was pulling him towards the campsite. But… but something was off. Something felt wrong… distinctly un-Simon. Magnus pulled at the thread, hoping to reveal something, _anything,_ and in response, he got a very clear image of Isabelle.

There was nothing about that that seemed un-Simon-like - in fact, Magnus imagined that anyone lost in the woods who had a warrior for a girlfriend would probably be missing her. But it was almost worrying how clearly Magnus was able to see the image. Images were usually only this clear when the person being tracked could see them, too. And Simon couldn't see Isabelle, could he? Magnus snapped his eyes open and looked around, checking once more for Simon. He was nowhere that Magnus could see, and, judging from the increasingly frantic searching of Clary and Jace (though admittedly, the latter was less enthusiastic), he wasn't in their campsite at all.

Magnus cursed beneath his breath, and tried again, though before he shut his eyes he saw Alec's blue eyes observing him. What was Alec going to think? That he was completely incompetent? Or… or perhaps, he was going to think that Magnus' magic was faltering. Perfect. It almost made Magnus want to stop searching for Simon and blame his faulty powers. But he couldn't do that, not when Simon was on the line. He kinda liked that guy.

Pressing his eyes shut, he mustered all the power he could manage and pulled again on the thread that had led him there, strong enough for the person being tracked to feel it, and -

And he saw himself. And what was worse, he could feel an emotion, not his own, but from the person who was watching him. And that emotion was…

Annoyance. Definitely annoyance. But it was mixed with a very soft undertone of -

Of love.

Magnus opened his eyes slowly and, in a perverse turn of events, he found himself hoping that Alec would not be watching him as he did. But he was. Great. Just great.

"I don't get it… why would your tracking be wrong?" Clary stood in front of him, her voice pleading but her eyes wary. Jace stepped into place behind her.

"Isn't… isn't your magic still… broken? Wouldn't that be why the tracking didn't work?" Jace's query was met by Isabelle, Clary, Alec and Magnus all uneasily shifting their gaze to something in the environment around them. Their awkward silence was enough to indicate that no, Magnus' magic was not, in fact, still broken. Jace exhaled sharply.

"Oh. Okay. Thanks for letting me in on this, guys."

"Now's not the time," Clary mumbled, flicking her green eyes back to Magnus. "What went wrong?"

"Uh…" What did he tell them? That he hadn't been tracking Simon at all? That the bond he had forged between Alec and him the other day was still in place, and he had just led them straight to his boyfriend? That his magic seemed determined to be his wingman and help him fix his relationship issues before they could move on? "Maybe… maybe my magic doesn't work as well as we all… well, _most of us_ thought."

Isabelle let go of Alec and sat down, her skin getting its colour back. Jace turned to Clary, demanding answers as to why nobody had let him in on anything, and she sighed in exasperation and crawled into their tent. Jace followed.

Soon, Alec and Magnus were facing each other, standing where they had been left. Isabelle saw this and went into her tent, smiling half-heartedly at Alec as she left. The morale of the camp had evaporated, taking their determination to find Simon with it.

"Your magic is fine."

"Hmm?" Magnus had been thinking so hard about how to start a conversation with Alec that he hadn't considered Alec talking first.

"Your magic. It's fine."

"Oh… wait, what? How would you - "

"I felt it. I felt you. In my head."

"Oh. Right. Yes. About that."

"I know that old age tends to leave some people senile, but I didn't think you'd confuse me and Simon _just_ yet."

Magnus snorted despite himself. "Okay. You got me. I don't think I was tracking Simon all along."

"So… he's not here?"

"Apparently not."

"But… but that means that we could still find him. If you're not up to tracking him, I could get my stele and - "

"Alec."

Quiet settled between them. Magnus paused, waiting for something to interrupt him, but nothing did. It was just him and Alec, who seemed restless at the prospect of wasted time.

"Alec. We… we need to talk."

 _Not now. There are more important things right now._ "Okay."

"My magic… I should have told you."

A pause, as if Magnus wanted Alec to get angry at him. As if Magnus wanted Alec to launch himself at him, spewing out the frustration he had bottled up. Huh. Alec did not deign to oblige him. "I know."

"And… I just think you should know… I wanted to tell you. But I didn't. I didn't want to get your hopes up. Even now… I thought I was tracking Simon, but… I was tracking you."

"How? That's his shirt."

"I know. I… when you, Jace and Simon got separated from the rest of us… I tracked you. And that was when my magic was at its weakest, and I passed out from the effort. And I don't know how or why, but today when I was wondering where you were… I knew you were coming here. And I knew you had thought of tracking him. So we tried to track Simon, but my magic must have confused the two of you and… and here we are."

"So… what? You can track me whenever you want?"

"Well… I could before this, too. If I had something of yours. It's nothing to be alarmed about - it doesn't make you vulnerable."

"But… you can hear my _thoughts?"_ Alec almost looked disgusted. For an introvert like him, Magnus supposed, that was the biggest violation there was.

"No. Only particularly strong ones, when I focus really hard. I think. It's only happened once, and I'm not about to try it again."

Alec shifted where he stood, rearranging his tightly folded arms. "So… if you wanted, you could know what I'm thinking right now?"

Magnus studied his face carefully. "Yes."

"But you said - "

"But not because of magic. Because I know you, Alexander. I know exactly what you're thinking. You're thinking 'by the Angel, does this prick really think he can just waltz in here and make excuses for hiding something so big from me? Does he really think that whatever we're talking about now is more important than Simon? Does he know what he's doing at all?'"

If Magnus had come anywhere close to being right, Alec's poker face didn't show it. He ploughed on. "I'll answer those questions for you. No, I don't think I can make excuses for not telling you. It's my fault, and I'm sorry. No, I don't think that this is more important than Simon, but I know that my magic won't rest until I get it out of the way. And no. I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing. In the slightest. But I do know that I'm sorry."

Alec watched him carefully. There was no doubt he was being honest. And yet… Alec felt like some border had been crossed, like it was going to take more time than this to fix it. He wasn't about to fall into Magnus' arms every time Magnus deemed an apology adequate. So, as much as he wanted to collapse into a heap and think everything over until it didn't mean anything, Alec walked past Magnus, towards Simon's tent. Right before he opened it to get Izzy, he stiffened, and looked over his shoulder. Magnus was still standing there, looking like a wounded puppy.

"I know that you're sorry. But…" He gulped. "Not now. There are more important things right now."

"Alec - "

"Later. First, Simon. Then we can deal with this."

He knew it hurt Magnus. He knew it wasn't fair. But it wasn't fair for Simon to be stranded in the middle of the forest with nobody looking for him. Without looking back, Alec climbed into the tent, where Izzy was waiting with one of Simon's shirts and a stele.

* * *

Simon was cold. Very cold. He regretted taking off his shirt - it had seemed necessary at the time. Even though it was the middle of the day (11:49, according to his watch), it seemed darker than usual. He stumbled through the undergrowth, trying to figure out what he was doing, when his vision blacked out again. Squeezing his eyes shut, he hit the ground - he hadn't fainted, but had instead found that simply collapsing was the fastest way to get blood to your head, hence the mechanism of fainting. He lay, gradually getting his vision back, when he heard it.

The crunching of leaves under boots.

The crunching stopped. The cruncher busied itself for a moment, before Simon heard a click and -

"Andrews to base. No sign of them yet. Are you certain they're in the forest? Over."

"Base to Andrews. Not certain. All we've been told is that they're between the forest and the city. We have forces combing New York. Stay on task. Over."

The crackly voice must have come from a walkie-talkie. And… Simon's heart raced as he recalled the conversation. Something felt wrong. Very wrong. And even though the cruncher had a walkie-talkie (a sure sign of authority), Simon's gut instinct was to hide from it. So, of course, he did.


	11. Clarity

"You can't avoid me forever."

Clary looked over her shoulder. Jace was crouching at the entrance to the tent, fixing her with a fierce gaze. She knew he was annoyed at her, but she couldn't say she had a problem with it. So what if he was annoyed? She was too. In fact, they were all annoyed. Simon was missing and Magnus had lied to everyone. If anyone _wasn't_ frustrated, Clary would have probably punched them.

"Clary. I know you can hear me."

"No offence, Jace, but I _really_ don't want to talk to you right now."

"Why?"

" _Why?_ Why the hell do you need an explanation? Can't I just be pissed off and sulk on my own?"

Jace's expression shifted from annoyance to something dangerously close to pity. "You know, most people in your situation would have said 'I don't want to talk to you because my best friend is missing, and I'm worried about him.' But you didn't. You answered as vaguely as possible. I know you, Clary, and I know that means that there's something else bugging you, and as long as that something else is there, you're not going to be able to focus."

Clary wanted to snap back at him, but she didn't know what to say. How were you supposed to respond to someone who had just read you so perfectly? How was she supposed to say that the thing that was plaguing her was a secret worse than Magnus'?

Jace took her silence as an act of hostility, and, muttering under his breath, he left her alone in the tent. Good. She was glad that he had left her alone. She needed time to breathe, to think.

But before she could do any of that, Isabelle appeared at the tent's entrance, making herself at home amongst the clothes that were strewn around the tent. It was undeniable that Magnus' magic had worked - her cheeks had a healthy glow and her lips were back to their usual shade of pink. Clary could tell she was still drained of energy, but if she had so much as hinted that Isabelle would have decapitated her.

"So. How are we going to find Simon?"

"I don't care," Clary mumbled. Izzy looked at her quizzically. "I mean, I don't care how we find him, so long as we do."

 _Was_ that what she had meant? Or had she meant that her preoccupation with her own secret was too distracting for her to care? No - she couldn't have meant the latter. That would mean that Jace was right, and she couldn't have that.

"Okay. I think we should track him. Do you?" Clary didn't bother responding. "Well, considering I'm _apparently_ not in the best of health, I think it would be best for you to do the honours. Maybe your friendship will make it work faster or something. I don't know."

"Sure. I'll do it. Let me just… get my stele…" She began absentmindedly rummaging through the bag nearest to her, hoping Izzy would leave so she could get her thoughts straight. Isabelle, however, did not leave, and instead watched with a raised eyebrow as Clary rifled through the contents of the bag. Refusing to be concerned over Izzy's apparent suspicion, Clary's search became more determined, until -

"Oh God."

"I was wondering how long it'd take you to figure out that wasn't your bag."

"Is… is this Jace's underwear?"

"I'd assume so."

"Ew ew ew." Clary didn't care how pathetic she sounded as she recoiled in disgust. Looking unimpressed, Izzy pulled the other bag in the tent towards her.

"Here. I'll help you out."

"No!" Clary couldn't help her frantic yell as she yanked the bag towards her. She regretted her outburst as soon as she saw Izzy's raised eyebrow.

"Why…" Izzy trailed off, a worryingly quick understanding distracting her. Clary didn't know what conclusion she had come to but decided to dismiss it by saying, "I hate it when people go through my stuff. I just… don't like thinking about other people touching my things, you know?"

With her eyebrow still arched, Izzy glanced pointedly at Clary's other hand, the one not grabbing her bag, which was still in Jace's bag. "Right. Of course."

Ignoring the burning creeping up her face, Clary tried to smile sweetly and fetched her stele from the pocket that she had known it was in all along. "Got it! Let's go!"

She'd just have to gather her thoughts later.

* * *

"Alec?"

He looked up from where he was sitting. Jace was watching him cautiously. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay. Why are you asking?"

Jace gestured to Alec's hands, where he was holding one of Simon's shirts so they could track him. No, holding was the wrong word. He was gripping it so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"Honestly - _are_ you okay?"

Part of him wanted to repeat his previous answer, to say _I'm fine,_ to lie to Jace like he himself had been lied to. But that felt pitiful and melodramatic. "Not really."

"Is this about Izzy, Simon, or Magnus?"

"Guess."

"Well, Izzy's fine and you care less about Simon than I do, so relationship struggles it is."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Can I let you in on a secret?"

"Unless you have some sort of secret cure to all my troubles, I'd suggest finding Clary and getting this over with."

Ignoring him, Jace continued. "The truth is, I knew before I opened my mouth that you weren't okay."

"Congrats."

"And I knew that it was because of Magnus."

"Wow. If shadowhunting doesn't work out for you, you should become a psychic."

"And do you want to know how I knew?"

"You read my palm? My tea leaves were bad? My aura was off? The stars were aligned incorrectly? You talked to spirits, and they said: 'hey, Alec's pissed off. You should go and piss him off more'? You - "

"I knew because every time you get pissed off at Magnus, you clam up. I mean, you don't talk much in the first place, but when you're pissed off at me you make no effort to conceal who you're annoyed with. Izzy will say, 'wow, this coffee is bitter,' and you'll say, 'you know who else is bitter? Jace'."

"Do you have a point, or are you just trying to reach your daily quota of useless commentary?"

"My point is that when you're mad at Magnus, you don't tell anyone about it. It's like you don't want people to know that he's not perfect. Spoiler alert: he's not, and we know it. He lied to all of us, Alec, and we have just as much reason to be annoyed at him as you do. Don't take it personally."

"That's your advice? 'Magnus didn't just lie to you, but to _everyone._ Don't be mad at him'."

"I didn't say don't be mad. I said don't take it personally. I don't know what you two were talking about when Clary and I were running around and looking for Simon, but I'd bet you any money that he was apologising. Would I be right?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Ha. I _was_ right."

"I mean, his apology doesn't matter. There are…" Alec paused, taking a breath. "There are more important things right now."

"More important than your happiness?"

Before Alec could say anything, Isabelle emerged from the tent with Clary close behind her. With her back to the other girl, Isabelle caught Alec's eye. Her face was calm, but there was something in her eyes - something cold and doubting. Whatever it was, it was enough to give Alec reason to be on edge. Jace straightened up beside him, his whole demeanour shifting. He must have caught her silent warning too.

"Is that Simon's… good, okay." Clary held a hand out for the shirt. There was something uneasy bugging Alec, a part of him that was screaming to heed Isabelle's warning and not to trust Clary. But that was ridiculous, wasn't it? He tentatively released the shirt and gave it to Clary, who smiled gratefully. He must have misinterpreted Isabelle's message, because the smile Clary gave him was genuine - she was just a girl who was worried about her closest friend. Nothing amiss there.

"Okay. Alright. Everything's going to be fine," Clary announced, as much to herself as to everyone else. Clenching Simon's shirt, she drew the tracking marks on her arm and closed her eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, Alec saw Magnus step closer to Clary. Where had he come from?

Had he heard what he and Jace were talking about?

Jace tensed, and Alec thought for a second that it was because of Magnus' arrival, but when he looked back at Clary he corrected himself. Clary's worried frown had deepened, her pretty little face scrunched up so tightly that she looked to be in pain. Magnus took another step towards her, and his concern was so plain that it made Alec feel… bad. He felt bad.

Alec was not the only one who noticed Magnus' worry. Jace stood up, his sharp gazed trained on Clary, who was now noticeably struggling.

"Are… are you okay?" When Clary didn't answer, her breathing getting more and more uneven, Jace ran to her. "Magnus! Is she okay?"

"How the hell would I know? I just got here!"

 _Okay,_ Alec thought. Maybe he hadn't heard what they had said.

A gasp shook him from his thoughts. Clary had just stumbled - as if she was trying to remain upright on a rocking boat but failing. In a heartbeat, Jace had caught her, and even once her eyes flicked open and her breathing steadied, he didn't let her go.

"What happened?" Her voice was small and unsure. "Why couldn't I… see or hear anything? Why can't I track him?"

"You were distracted," Isabelle said, without a hint of uncertainty. "You were trying very hard to do _something,_ but you couldn't focus on what it was you had to do."

"So what… I try again?"

"We don't have enough time to waste on fruitless attempts. Let Jace do it."

Everyone, including Isabelle, was taken aback by how brusque that had sounded, but nobody argued with her. Clary looked betrayed, and a part of Isabelle knew that she had every right to feel that way, but had meant what she said. They needed to find Simon, and whatever Clary was hiding wasn't worth jeopardising his safety. Once she had made it perfectly clear she wasn't going to take back what she had said, Jace turned to Clary, whom he was still holding, and gently pried the shirt from her hands. Without a word, Clary stormed off. Jace shot a bitter glance at Isabelle and began tracking Simon.

"He's… he's on the floor."

"Like… sleeping?"

"Maybe. He feels… sick. The track is weak. He's probably just resting," he clarified when he heard Isabelle's panic-stricken gasp. "He'll be okay, so long as we get to him soon."

"But where is he?"

"I don't know, Iz. It all looks like forest to me. It feels like… it feels like he's less than a mile away. To the east."

"Okay. Let's go," Isabelle decided, already striding in the direction Jace had nominated. Jace left to go find Clary and let her know the news. This left Magnus and Alec alone once more. But before Alec could stomp off after Izzy, Magnus beat him to it. As if he could sense Alec's shock, Magnus turned on his heel to face him, a scowl on his face.

"Were you waiting for something?"

Alec couldn't think of anything to say, so he kept his mouth shut.

"I could apologise for what happened again, if you'd like, but I thought my apology doesn't matter to you."

 _Shit._ So he _had_ heard them, then. Alec opened his mouth to respond.

"Don't say anything, Alexander. I know _exactly_ what you'll say. You'll say, _not now._ Because that's your response to _everything_ now, isn't it? You're just going to keep pretending you care about something far more important than us until our problem goes away. You're not an idiot, Alec. Don't bullshit me."

"Magnus - "

"I hate to say it, but not right now. There are _far_ more important things right now."

And with that, he left.

* * *

Breathe in, breathe out. That was all he could manage. His skin was burning so intensely that it hurt. He had done everything that he could to get colder - his shirt was long gone, and as of a few minutes ago, his sweat-soaked jeans lay on the ground next to him. His vision was faltering, but that was okay - there was nothing to see but green. Green, green, green. Green like Clary's eyes. Huh. Clary. He wondered what she would do if she were here. She'd probably hug him. Hmm. And she'd say -

"Simon! What the fuck?"

No, she would definitely not say that. She was nowhere near that blunt and apathetic. And besides - the voice he had heard that in wasn't hers. It was -

"Isabelle?"

"Simon!"

His vision returned in sporadic bursts, but he could tell there was someone else there - someone amongst the green. Someone with pale skin and raven-black hair.

"Wait - Isabelle?"

"Where… where are your pants?"

"Right - right here…" Simon reached out to where he had set them, but he couldn't find them. "They were… here…"

"Fine. It doesn't matter. You're sick - we need Magnus."

"But… Magnus can't help me yet."

"He can. He has his magic back," Isabelle stated as she shrugged off her sweater and handed it to him.

"Since when?"

"Don't get me started on this," she muttered. Simon frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Hello."

"Hello?"

"You didn't say hello to me. You said 'what the fuck', which isn't exactly… friendly. Sorry to nitpick, but… you know. I have been kinda alone for a few hours."

"A few hours? Simon, you've been gone for almost the whole day!"

"Is… is that not a few hours?"

Isabelle placed the back of her hand on Simon's forehead, checking his temperature. "You're so hot, Simon."

"Thanks."

"No, you're… you're burning. Where the hell is Magnus?"

"I'm here," Magnus announced from a few paces away. He quickened his pace, settling down next to them. "Sorry for the… delay."

Isabelle rolled her eyes but gestured to Simon. "Can you fix him like you fixed me?"

"I can try. His fever seems to be stronger than yours was, so it may take longer."

"I don't care. Just… do whatever it takes."

Magnus leant over Simon, slowly letting his magic do the work. He began to say something, but before he could, Clary burst out of the trees.

"Simon! Oh my God, Simon! Are you okay?" He shrugged in response.

"I've been better."

"Where… where are your clothes?"

"Honestly? No idea."

"Great… I'll look for them…"

"Clary!" Jace stumbled after her, taking no more than a heartbeat to catch his breath. "You can't just run off like that! I was trying to talk to you!"

"Not right now, Jace!"

Out of the corner of Izzy's eye, she saw Magnus shake his head.

"What do you mean, 'not right now'? Clary - something's wrong, okay? I can tell. But you just keep pushing me away. Let me help."

"Something's wrong? Is that really the conclusion you've come to? Yes, Jace, something's wrong. Simon's really sick and he needs our help. Can you blame me for being a bit absentminded?"

"Absentminded? You keep pushing me away! This isn't… _neglect,_ it's you trying to hide something from me."

"Oh great - more secrets?" Alec strode into the clearing where they had gathered, his eyes downcast and his expression bitter. "Did you find Simon?"

"He's right here," Isabelle confirmed, shuffling aside so her brother could see. But just as soon as he had appeared, Alec spun on his heel and began to leave. "Where - where are you going?"

"Back to camp."

"What… why?"

He stopped. "We found him. That's what we needed to do, right? Magnus can handle the fever and shit. If I recall correctly, he's been able to for a while."

"Alec," Magnus chided, looking away from Simon. "I told you - "

"I don't care." Alec began walking again. Clary stepped into his path.

"You can't just _leave,_ Alec. You need to help."

"Help? And do what? Distract Jace for you, so he doesn't notice how odd you're acting?"

Colour burned through Clary's cheeks and she fought to remain calm. "Just for once, Alec, think about someone other than yourself."

"Enough!" There was something about Isabelle's tone of voice that made everyone stop and listen. Even Simon, who looked even paler than he had as a vampire. "Can you all just _shut up_ for one _fucking second?_ By the Angel. You're all so… pathetic. God. Simon should be - _is_ \- our top priority right now, but none of you want to help. None. Clary, if you were really looking for Simon's jeans, you'd have noticed that they're just over there. And Magnus, if you were still using your magic to get rid of Simon's fever, there'd still be blue sparks everywhere. Don't think I didn't notice that they stopped the second Alec arrived. At least Alec and Jace don't bother pretending that they don't care. I can't believe that you're all so… so selfish that you've completely forgotten what being a shadowhunter means. What being a decent person means. What… what being a friend means. Simon needs our help, and all you can do is squabble over petty miscommunications. Just… just stop, okay?"

Silence, until Alec cleared his throat. She turned to him with a fire in her eyes more intense than all the demon realms combined. "With all due respect, Iz… you… you don't really know what's going on, okay?"

"Don't I?" The fierceness of those two words made Alec wish he had just kept quiet. "Why don't we start with you and Magnus. Magnus - you're incredibly powerful, and you know that. But the thing is, you're afraid of admitting when your power isn't strong. You've convinced yourself that we'll think you're less impressive, less important, if you can't do magic perfectly. That's bullshit, but whatever. And because of that, you would rather us - you would rather _Alec -_ believe that you had no magic than some magic that could fail. I'm not saying I agree with you, but it makes sense.

"And Alec. You know this. You know Magnus only hid this from you because he was insecure. And you hate when he's insecure, because it's so unlike him. But most of all, you're angry at him because he didn't trust you enough to tell you this. You think that his confidence in you is more important than his confidence in himself. And I don't know much about what's been said between you two, but I know Magnus has apologised, and I know you've been a pathetic piece of shit and refused to acknowledge it, because you don't want to admit that you misjudged him. You're afraid of your perceptions of people being proved otherwise. Grow up.

"And Clary. God, Clary, what the fuck is going on? We know you're hiding something, and I need you to realise that if I hadn't been preoccupied with finding Simon, I would have figured out what it was already. You can't hide things from us, not now. You need to trust us, but you so obviously don't, and that stings like a motherfucker, Clary, because we trust you. You've been so distracted by whatever secret you're keeping that you haven't been able to concentrate on finding Simon - _Simon_ , Clary. Whatever you're hiding isn't worth more than what you're risking.

"And Jace… wow. For the first time ever, I'm the least pissed off at Jace. I mean, apart from following Clary around like a lost puppy and generally neglecting the whole Simon issue, you didn't fuck up that badly. Good job. Now - are we done here? Can we get back to helping Simon?"

No one objected. Despite their differences, in that moment they shared one thing - the feeling of being slapped across the face. Magnus' fingers sparked with blue, and he started healing Simon again. Clary picked up Simon's jeans and gave them to him, and Jace walked off in search of water. Isabelle stood, looking at Simon with gentleness that completely contradicted the fire of before. She didn't notice Alec until he was right behind her, but didn't object when he pulled her into a hug.

Alec wasn't much of a hugger. He never had been. But whenever Isabelle really needed a hug, he was there. She didn't have to say much - it was as if she could sense it. And the moment he wrapped his arms around her, she realised that he almost knew her better than herself. God, she needed a hug.

"Remind me never to tell you that you can't do something ever again."

"I thought I already had."

He laughed quietly. "You were right, though. Scarily right. How did you figure all that out?"

"Alec, I've lived with you for my entire life."

"I thought I was good at hiding feelings."

"You are - but not from me."

"Well, I'll have to change my approach then."

"You will, but not just in terms of showing feelings."

He sighed, and his breath was warm against her skin. "I know. But like you said - we need to focus on Simon right now."

"That's true, but… but maybe Simon's wellbeing isn't mutually exclusive with yours." "What do you mean?"

It was too late - she had already pulled away and sat down next to Simon, running her fingers through his hair. Even though Magnus was working on Simon, he felt the smallest of tugs in him. The same kind of tug that he had felt before, when Magnus had been tracking him. But this time, the feeling wasn't one of worry or panic. It was reassurance.

He knelt down next to Magnus. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

He could have sworn Magnus almost smiled. "Not right now."

* * *

Clary watched the three of them tend to Simon. Isabelle's words echoed around her head angrily, like a swarm of bees. It hurt her that Isabelle thought those things, but even more that she thought them too. Isabelle had been completely right. Of course she had. Clary had been afraid to trust the others with the GPS, afraid that the decision they came to would contradict her own. Did she have reason to be anxious about that? Possibly. But was that an excuse for mistrusting them all? Never. She'd tell them. She had to. Magnus' secret had come out, and yet he hadn't shared hers. God, that made her feel awful.

She took a deep breath, and followed her instinct. Her instinct that led her straight to the one person she had been avoiding.

* * *

After Magnus had declared Simon 'as good as he can be right now', Izzy and Simon had been left alone. Alec had left on an errand for Magnus, something about finding a suitable pillow, but Magnus had finished up just after he'd gone. Isabelle knew they wanted privacy to work things out, but she didn't care. Not now that Simon was okay.

Simon's eyes fluttered open. He had fallen asleep (or quite possibly passed out) during Magnus' procedure.

"Hello," he said quietly, his voice gravelly from sleep.

"Hello," she whispered back.

"That was… uh… some speech you gave."

"Ah. Right."

"Seriously. I mean - I know I've been missing for a bit, so I'm kinda out of the loop, but… damn."

"Damn indeed."

There was a silence, and then Simon mumbled something inaudible.

"What was that?"

"Did everyone really care that little?"

Those six words were enough to shatter Izzy. God, she had been so _stupid -_ of course he was listening to what she said. Of course he'd hear that.

And what hurt most was that it was true.

"Your silence says a lot," he said with an unconvincing smile. "It's okay. I guess I didn't expect anything else."

"No… no, it's not like that."

"It is. That's okay."

"No, it's not. It's not okay. I was… I was angry, Simon. I didn't want to throw in the good things they'd done - that'd weaken my point. Clary cared. She cared so much. But she was so… caught up in whatever the hell she's hiding that she didn't do anything about it. I could see how much it hurt her that you were gone. She was almost in tears for the entire time. She just wasn't focussed enough to come up with a plan. And did you know that Jace was the one who tracked you here? Clary and I wanted to, but we couldn't, so he did it with no objection. He was worried about Clary, but he still took time to find you. And Alec… he has trouble with expressing himself. Magnus pissed him off and he curled up into a ball."

"Literally?"

"Figuratively. But he still volunteered to go find you." Perhaps that wasn't exactly true. She'd been unconscious when it happened. But Simon didn't need to know that. "And Magnus… he used his magic, as fickle as it is, to help you just now." She figured she wouldn't mention the failed tracking attempt. "The point is, Simon… they do care. _We_ do care. It's just been a bit difficult, is all."

He sighed. She hoped he believed her. "Thank you."

"For coming to find you? Of course I - "

"No. For saying that. I would thank you for coming to find me, but I don't think there are words for how much I owe you guys."

"Simon, it wasn't… of course we'd come and find you. I don't think there's a universe in which we wouldn't."

"Not even in the multiverse?"

"Not even in the multiverse," she confirmed.

"Well, technically there is, but - "

"But not even then."

* * *

Alec was waiting for Magnus just out of earshot of the others. He knew Magnus' errand was just a plot to get the two of them somewhere more secluded. When Magnus approached, Alec took a deep breath, and said:

"Now."

"What?"

"No more 'not now'. _Now."_

Magnus nodded slowly. "Now," he whispered.

"I want to… I want to apologise. I know that how I acted was out of line, and what I said was too. I just… Izzy was right. I expected you to trust me entirely, even if it meant hurting you. I've only ever had three relationships that I care about this much, and the other two - Izzy and Jace - are built on absolute trust. They have to be. She's my sister and he's my parabatai. And we're shadowhunters. It's what we do."

"Alexander, I don't want you to think you can't trust me - "

"I can - I know I can - and I do, but it was selfish of me to just… just assume that you'd tell me everything unconditionally." He sighed. "You're allowed to not tell me everything. I just… didn't realise it yet."

"But I should have told you. I should have let you know as soon as it came back. Your sister is extraordinarily perceptive - what she said about me being insecure really hit home. I thought I was protecting you from disappointment by hiding my magic, but instead I was protecting myself from looking less capable than you think I am. And no matter how noble I thought my intentions were, at the end of the day I still kept something extremely important from you. I really am sorry."

Alec smiled. "I know. I knew before, too."

"So why did you say my apology didn't matter to Jace?"

"Because I'm a twat who doesn't want Jace to think I'm angry for no reason."

"Oh, Alec. I'm pretty sure Jace _always_ thinks you're angry for no reason."

He laughed, and Magnus did too. This… this was good.

"But just in case you were wondering, I did briefly consider a more… well, ostentatious apology."

"Did you? And whatever made you change your mind?"

"I couldn't think of a good song to go with it. The best song I know called 'Sorry' is by Beyoncé, by it's hardly as apologetic as the title would have you believe."

"Who's Beyoncé?"

Magnus took a step back. "Alec, if I didn't love you so much, I'd probably hit you right now."

"Sorry?" He shrugged.

"Do you genuinely not know who Beyoncé is?"

"No… am I supposed to? Are they a warlock too?"

"Well, she doesn't age, so quite possibly, but I think I'd know if she was."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"As soon as we get back, we're going to amend that."

"And… are we going to get back soon?"

Magnus paused. "When I was healing Simon, I could feel the drain on my magic. It's like… like driving a car and seeing the fuel gauge slowly get lower. It'll recover soon enough, but it goes so quickly that I'm afraid of losing it mid-operation."

"Why is it taking so long to recover fully?" There was nothing accusing in the way he said it, only caring.

"I don't know… maybe it knows I'm in an unfamiliar environment."

"Have you been eating enough?"

"Of course."

"Really? When was the last time you ate something?"

"God… I don't know."

"Right. We're going to go back to our camp right now, and we're going to get you something to eat. And then the rest of us are going to get something to eat. We need to reinforce a meal schedule, otherwise we'll all burn out."

"You're adorable when you're concerned."

"Well, then it's lucky I seem to be concerned about you quite often."

Magnus looked up at him, at his blue eyes, his earnest smile, his _everything,_ and before he knew it he was kissing him.

* * *

"Jace."

He turned to see Clary looking at him. She was perfectly still, as if she'd been standing there a while. He stood up straight, container of water still in hand. "What's wrong?"

It hurt Clary that he said that. He didn't say 'hey', or even her name. He said 'what's wrong?'. As if she'd only talk to him if something was wrong. Even though her throat felt tight, she swallowed and continued.

"I have to tell you something."

He stayed silent, watching her intently. The words she needed to say didn't want to come, so she focussed on looking at him. He was observing her body language, her gaze, anything and everything that'd clue him in on what she was going to say. His body was so tense that to keep him waiting this long seemed sadistic. She exhaled slowly.

"I have something. In my bag. Something that could help us get out of here."

"What do you mean?"

She didn't want to say it. She didn't want to admit how easily they could have left, if only she had had the nerve to speak up. But she had to.

"A GPS. For navigating."

He paused, thinking through his next words carefully. "Does it work?"

"Yes."

"Is there… is there a risk to using it?"

"A slight one."

"What is it?"

"The moment it's turned on, it'll emit a signal that police trackers could pick up."

"What's the risk in that?"

"They could find us, and they'd want to know how we got there, and then they'd want to know how we survived. Yes, a lot of what we've done could have been done by mundanes, but… the glamours we use to keep animals away, the magic Magnus used to heal Izzy and Simon… no normal teenagers would have lasted this long with what we have. They'd get suspicious."

"And what, are mundane police immune to glamours? To magic?"

The accusation in his voice stung her, but she stood her ground. "I thought Magnus' magic would have recovered by now. We wouldn't have needed it at all."

"But we could have used that straight away, Clary. As soon as we ended up at the bottom of that godforsaken slope, we could have used it to find another way up."

"What if there was no other way up? What if the police saw a signal come from this part of the woods that suddenly stopped? My mum would think we're dead."

"She may already think that, Clary. We've been gone for several days, and there's only enough food for a week. Who knows how complex the lie would have to be to avoid the police's suspicion, but it's certainly better than hiding here until Magnus' magic changes."

"I _knew_ you'd think that. You never think ahead."

"I am thinking ahead!"

"No, you're not. You're thinking that they'll send us on our way after minimal questioning. But they won't. They'll want interviews, photos, media - anything and everything that'll make them look good."

"They'll want that anyway. If we miraculously show up out of the blue, they'll be even more interested."

"But if we turn the GPS on now, they'll ask why we didn't turn it on before."

Jace frowned. "We'll tell them the truth. That we only remembered it was there just now."

Clary's hesitation said enough. When Jace spoke again, his voice was low. "How long have you known you had it?"

She felt tears rise to her eyes. She should never have said anything. "Since the second day we were here."

"And you didn't think of telling _anyone?"_

"I was afraid that the decision we would all come to would be the wrong one."

"So you took the decision into your own hands?"

"Jace, _please."_

He didn't listen - he stormed past her, back in the direction they came from, the water in his container sloshing over the sides. Clary wanted to run after him, to stop him from telling the others, but she knew it was no use.

Her secret was out.

* * *

 ** _Hey guys!_**

 ** _I just wanted to apologise for the delayed upload. I was busy with the whole holidays and new year thing. I hope this chapter makes up for it! After this, I should pretty much be on schedule (which, for me, is uploading any time on a Saturday in Australia time) so hopefully this won;t happen again!_**

 ** _Anyway, please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter, and where you think the fic should go next. I hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday period, and that 2017 is nowhere near as torturous as 2016._**

 ** _Have a wonderful day!_**

 ** _xx The Potterhead From Middle Earth_**


	12. Once Upon A Time

"Hey - I forgot to ask… how did you end up alone, anyway?"

Simon turned his head, trying unsuccessfully to look her in the eye. His head was nestled against her stomach as he lay on the ground and she sat with her back against a tree. "I… uh… I don't really remember how I left that well. I must have woken up really, really sick and then decided to… go for a walk or something. Who knows."

"I was sick, too. It almost made me delirious."

"Exactly. I got changed and left, and next thing I knew I was so hot that I took off my shirt. And then I was cold. And then - oh, yeah! Then I heard this person talking."

"Were you hallucinating?"

"I could have sworn it was real, but I could be wrong."

"What was the person saying?"

"That they were looking for someone between the city and the forest."

Isabelle tensed up. "Could… could they have been looking for us?"

"Possibly… I don't know. I mean, they had a walkie-talkie and shit, so they could have been a member of the police. Or they could be a member of some sort of nefarious criminal ring searching for innocent children to prey on."

"Simon! This is serious! If we have police looking for us…"

"Well, if they are, they're not doing a very good job, because a few minutes later I was wandering the woods again and I didn't see any sign of them."

Isabelle shook her head, as if that would make things clearer. "This… this doesn't make sense…"

"Iz. Simon." Jace stormed into the clearing, a frown set deep into his face. Simon tried to sit up to greet him, but he felt sick and lay back down. "We need to talk."

"About what?"

"Something serious. We need Alec and Magnus, too." He left with the same purposeful striding that he had entered with, presumably to go find his parabatai.

Isabelle sat in contemplative silence, but Simon couldn't help but chatter. "He… he can't just say something as ominous as that and then leave… that's torture…" He trailed off, a new thought dawning on him. "Wait… Alec and Magnus? What about Clary? Where's Clary?"

Isabelle looked at him, and he could tell she was trying to figure things out. He wished she would, and fast - so far, her analysis had been accurate. She cleared her throat. "Simon… I don't want you to talk this as the truth, because it may not be, but… Clary's hiding something. I touched her bag and she freaked out. I don't know what it is - it could be something as small as a chocolate bar she doesn't want to share - but it could be something… _bigger._ "

"So… what? You think Jace found out that it's something really bad, and he's now going to break the news to us? Really? That's… that's pretty dramatic, Iz. And plus - I don't think Clary would let him, if it was really that bad. Right?"

Isabelle was silent. He gulped.

Their heavy silence was soon interrupted. "I just don't see what the problem is," Magnus was complaining. "I don't know what this 'talk' is about, but I can almost guarantee Alexander and I were having more fun _before_ you interrupted us."

"You can do all that later," Jace barked, and Magnus rolled his eyes as he walked into the clearing. He was shortly followed by Alec, whose hair was messier than before. Isabelle leant down and whispered, "I think they've made up."

Simon stifled a laugh. "I think they've made _out,_ too."

"Okay. We're all here."

"Where's Clary?"

Jace turned to Simon, his expression stony. "That's what this is about."

"Is she okay?"

To everyone's surprise, it wasn't Simon that said that, but Alec. When the others turned to him in confusion, he shrugged dismissively. "She's just been… weird lately. You know. She could have done something stupid." He paused, but everyone's eyes remained on him. "I don't think I'd appreciate her being… dead or something, okay? Now stop staring at me like I'm insane."

"Right. No, Clary's fine. But she has something that she's hidden from us."

Magnus subtly shifted where he stood, but not subtly enough to evade shadowhunters. Jace's cold glare fixed on Magnus. "You knew?"

"She… I wouldn't say she _blackmailed_ me, as such, but she made it clear that if I told others, she'd tell you about my… magic… situation…" He trailed off, now as uncomfortable as Alec had been when all eyes were on him.

"You could have told us after we all found out about the magic," Jace pointed out.

"I'm a man of my word. That seemed low."

"No, _low_ is keeping something so important from the rest of us."

"Wait - there _are_ more secrets? God damn. I thought we moved on from that," Alec sighed.

"But what's she hiding? What's so important?" Isabelle was clearly getting agitated. Simon could tell that she had come so far, figured out so much in her head, but couldn't quite slot in the last pieces of the puzzle. It wasn't adding up.

"A GPS."

A solemn silence descended upon them. Simon broke it by having a coughing fit. As Isabelle tended to him, Alec turned to Jace. "So… it could get us out of here?"

"Maybe. If we turned it on, we'd see a map of the area, and if there were any way out other than straight up that embankment, we'd know."

"So why hasn't she turned it on?"

"Because the mundane police might find us. She thinks they're looking for us."

Amidst his coughing, Simon found the composure to sputter, "they are."

"What?"

"When I was sick and alone, I heard someone talking about how they were looking for someone between New York and the park. That has to be us, right?"

"Not necessarily," Magnus said. "It would depend whether or not they had been notified that there were people missing at all."

Jace started pacing. "Do you think Jocelyn and Luke would have gotten the police involved?"

Simon nodded. "I know Jocelyn. She's always been worried about Clary, and… well, she can go to pretty extreme lengths to keep her safe. You know, like… erase her memory for years on end."

"He's right," Magnus conceded. "When Jocelyn wants to protect Clary, there's no changing her mind."

"But would she have gone to the police? Surely she knows that that could give rise to more problems," Isabelle said. "Two of us have fallen sick so far, which is understandable, given the climate and the provisions we have, and Magnus has cured both of us - for mundanes, this won't add up."

Jace's pacing quickened. "That's what Clary was worried about. She was saying that if she turned the GPS on and police found us, we'd have a hard time selling our story."

Alec frowned. "That's true, but if there _are_ police on our tail, then regardless of whether they find us now or after we get back, they'll ask questions. We may as well use a GPS - it gives us a shot of getting out now. Besides - the longer we wait, the more unlikely it is when we make it out, the more curious they'll be."

"Wait - _you_ agree with them?" Simon sat up, ignoring the dizziness that gripped his mind. "I thought you'd be more cautious."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you think that Clary's… right? In a way?"

Jace paused. "Simon, if you don't agree with her, we won't tell her. If you're afraid of betraying Clary, then we'll tell her you fought her case but ultimately lost. It's okay to agree with us."

"But… I don't…"

"What?" Jace asked incredulously.

"I just… I think she's right about not letting them know where we are. It means that when we do make it back, we have more… artistic license, if you will. If they know where we are when we're there, then we're forced to admit to that. What if we turn the GPS on, give out a signal, find out there's no other exit, then use Magnus' magic to get us to the top of the slope and turn up at the camp within an hour? They'd know that we somehow got from the bottom of that slope to the top in a matter of minutes, which is impossible."

"He has a point," Magnus muttered. "You know how to protect yourselves against mundanes seeing you, but once they've seen you it's a different story."

"But can't you… alter memories or something?" Jace almost sounded desperate. "Like you did with Clary?"

"I could, but not only is my magic… temperamental, but I don't think that's such a good idea, especially on mundanes."

"Come on, Magnus - "

"If Magnus says he can't do it, then he can't, okay?" Alec snapped. "Let's focus here. Simon has a point in saying we want our alibis to be as flexible as possible, so I say we use the GPS as a last resort."

"So… what? We just wait around until we get desperate?"

"We could try scouting out the area. Look for ways to get up the embankment on our own. Then we wouldn't need the GPS."

"It'll take too long," Isabelle argued. "Simon needs Magnus to look after him, meaning we only have four people to scout the area, and letting people go off on their own is just a bad idea, so we'd have, at most, two parties. We won't be able to get that far quickly enough. Plus, if the police run into groups wandering the forest, they'll ask questions before we can agree on an alibi. It's too risky."

"This is a mess," moaned Simon. "My head hurts."

"That's probably because your fever's returning. You need to lie down," Magnus instructed. "I'll try my best to get rid of the rest of the fever, but that'll drain the both of us. And it's getting late - you wouldn't be able to explore far before having to turn back because of the dark. I say we wait until tomorrow to do anything."

Alec nodded. "Agreed. We can wake up early, form an alibi, then start searching. The longer it takes for us to get out of here, the more suspicious our presence will be."

"I'll go get Clary and let her know," Jace volunteered, but Izzy stood up and blocked his way.

"No. I'll go. She's probably annoyed at you, that you left her there alone."

"Well, she'd be annoyed at you too. You basically told her that she was lying, untrusting, incapable - "

"I get it. I went too far. I was mad."

"So was I when I left her. Your point is?"

"I'll go," mumbled Alec. "She isn't pissed off at me, right?" He paused. "Well, no more than usual, I hope. And anyway - Magnus and Simon need to stay put, and you two have been pretty hostile towards her, so… me it is."

Before anyone else could argue, Alec walked off in the direction that Jace had come from.

* * *

"Are you okay?"

Jace turned to see Isabelle watching him. The two of them had gone back to the campsite to get food, which Magnus had insisted was necessary for the 'healing process' (even though he claimed it would only work if _everyone_ ate something). He shrugged unconvincingly, and she folded her arms. Why did so many conversations these days start with 'are you okay'? Why was everyone always so concerned about the wellbeing of the others? Why couldn't they treat this like a normal camping trip?

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Perhaps I should have said 'tell me why you're not okay'."

"I'm _fine_."

"Jace. Please."

He sighed. "What makes you think there's something wrong?"

"Honestly? Because you're so quiet."

"What if I'm just… pensive?"

"I'm not letting you leave until you tell me what's wrong, so the longer you take, the longer the others go without food. You can explain to them what took us so long."

Jace rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. "Fine. I'll tell you. I'm just annoyed at Clary. Is that so big a crime?"

"Let me get this straight… you're annoyed at Clary for hiding something from you?"

"Yes."

"Have we… have we not _just_ covered this? This is getting awfully repetitive."

"This is different from Magnus and Alec, okay? Because Magnus hid something because he thought he was protecting us. Clary hid it because she didn't trust us. I mean - you agree with me, right? She doesn't trust us. You said so in your little monologue earlier. And I did everything I could to see if she was okay, and she still didn't trust me!"

"Then there's your issue."

"What?"

"You're not pissed because she hid something, you're - "

"I _am_ pissed because she hid something."

" - but you're also pissed because you gave her so much and she didn't give anything back. You're annoyed that she ignored you."

"Yes, okay? Yes! I'm annoyed that my girlfriend ignored my many, _many_ attempts to make her feel better! Sue me!"

"Talk to her."

"I tried. She won't listen."

"Really? She told you about the GPS, you wanted to talk it out with her, and _she_ was the one who didn't want to listen?"

"I… I mean before the whole GPS thing."

"Something tells me the circumstances may have changed. I think it worth trying to figure this out with her."

"But… why? I'm tired, Iz. I'm tired of all this bullshit that keeps happening. I just want it to be over. And talking to Clary isn't going to do anything."

"You don't know that - "

"I do. I know that that's 100% accurate. You know why? Because 'talking it out' hasn't worked. You and Alec 'talked it out', and yet we're still here. Simon and I 'talked it out', and we're _still here_. Magnus and Alec 'talked it out', and _nothing_ has changed. Izzy, we're stuck in an endless cycle of fighting and talking things out, and unless that cycle breaks, we'll be stuck in it forever!"

"What? Jace… I agree that we could live without the conflict, but without resolving it? Never. Alec and I 'talked it out' and now we're more inclined to help each other when we need to. You and Simon 'talked it out' and who knows? If you hadn't, he may not have jumped into that river after you, and you might not still be here. Magnus and Alec 'talked it out', so now Magnus will hopefully be able to focus his magic better and get us out of here. It's not always about our ultimate goal, it's about the little things. And when you and Clary talk it out, it may not get us out of here, but it will get us closer."

"This… this is ridiculous… I don't even know where to begin…" Jace wrung his hands, looking flustered.

"You don't know where to begin because I'm right," Isabelle shrugged.

"No… you're so incredibly _wrong,_ I just… God. Okay. I'm going to be blunt, but that's the only way I know how to say this. You don't know everything, Iz. You're smart, you're perceptive, but stop telling me what to do. Clary fucked up by hiding something from all of us, and on top of that, she's been acting really rude, okay? I have every reason to be mad at her, and every reason to not want to talk to her. You can't just come in and pretend that she's done nothing wrong, that _I'm_ the one who needs to change their behaviour, when she's put the safety of all of us at risk."

"Jace, wait - "

"No! I'm just… I'm sick of people telling me what to do. I'm capable on my own, okay? In fact, I'm more than capable. I'm one of the best shadowhunters there is. I shouldn't have to have you constantly… just… stop, okay?"

"Jace - "

"No. I don't want to talk anymore. I'm fucking over it."

And then he left. Isabelle, trying to remain composed, gathered the food they had come for. It was only once she was certain Jace was left that she allowed herself to cry.

* * *

"Clary?"

Alec had been walking for at least ten minutes now. He had found the river, where he assumed Jace had spoken to Clary, but she wasn't there. After waiting there for a while, he had begun to stroll up and down the riverbank.

"Clary… we need to talk…" He didn't know why he bothered. She wasn't here. She must have found some other place to hide, somewhere that the others wouldn't come after her. It was understandable - the secret she'd hidden couldn't even be chalked up to wanting 'the greater good'. It was selfish, plain and simple, to assume that she had ultimate authority over their plight. If he was her, he'd be hiding right now too.

"I won't bite," he reassured the empty forest. "I promise I won't blow up at you like Jace probably did."

No response. "Uh… how else can I sweeten the deal… I promise I won't get angry? I promise I won't make you feel bad? I… uh… I'll give you five bucks?"

Nothing. He frowned. She was either waiting for a better deal, or she genuinely wasn't there. "Fine. A thousand dollars."

Nothing at all.

This wasn't good.

He turned to his right, leaving the riverbank, heading deeper into the forest. It wasn't the way he'd came, but it could very well have been where Clary was. He was doing this for Jace, he reminded himself. Jace and Izzy. It wasn't that he didn't care about Clary - he would have been upset if she… you know, died - but if it were up to him, he'd have given up by now. Let her have her privacy. If she so clearly wanted to be alone, why couldn't she be?

But there was always the possibility she didn't want to be alone. That she was waiting for someone to find her. Or that she was somehow grievously injured and stranded in the forest. Either way, he owed it to Jace and Izzy to find her.

He ambled about for another fifteen minutes, and the sky took on a purplish hue through the canopy. It was getting late, and he'd come no closer to finding her. In fact, he doubted he'd be able to find his way back.

Huh. Back. What if Clary was already back? What if _he_ was the lost one?

He sighed impatiently. Fuck it. Fuck it all. He tried to do something nice for Clary, and she made things as difficult as possible. Goddamn, he was frustrated. So frustrated, in fact, that he kicked a tree. Just for good measure, he spat "fuck you, Clary Fray," into the growing darkness.

"Alec?"

He spun to face where the small voice had come from. Clary was watching him from a few metres away, a concerned frown on her face. Her eyes flitted from his scowl to his clenched fists to his foot that was still connected to the tree. _Of course,_ he thought. _Of_ course _now, of all times, she finds me._

"I've been looking for you," he began curtly. "Where have you been?"

"Just… wandering around the forest."

"You didn't hear me calling you? At all?"

"The only thing I've heard you say is 'fuck you, Clary Fray', so… you know."

"About that, I - "

"I understand. I screwed up. Majorly. I should have told you guys, I was just… afraid."

Alec didn't know what to say. He probably should have spent some time thinking about that as he searched for her. He kept silent, which she saw as a prompt to continue.

"I just didn't want things to get more complicated than they already were. And I… I would have told you guys if I thought we really needed it, you know. I would've if Magnus' magic showed no signs of improvement, or if… if someone got hurt. But I thought we'd be able to do it on our own… please, Alec, you have to believe me. It's not me being selfish - well, it is, but not entirely - it's me wanting things to be easier for all of us."

"Easier?"

"Yes, easier. If Magnus healed entirely, he could lift us up the embankment, and we could walk down the road to the campsite. That would be easy. I didn't want to… to divide people. I didn't want some to say they wanted magic and some to say GPS. It's too complicated."

Seeing his unmoving frown, she shook her head slightly. "Alec, _please._ I'm not the bad guy here. I just wanted what was best for everyone."

"You blackmailed Magnus." It came out abrupt and unfair, and the moment he saw the glint of tears in her eye, he wanted to take it back. But it was true. She wasn't going to deny it.

"I was afraid, Alec."

"That's not an excuse."

"It's an explanation."

They stood in silence, staring at each other intently, trying to read the other's body language to instruct them on how to proceed. Clary spoke up first.

"You're right."

Alec remained silent and stony-faced.

"I did blackmail Magnus. And I ignored Jace. And I pissed off Isabelle. And I failed Simon. And I lied to everyone, too."

He remained unresponsive.

"And I'm sorry, Alec. I'm so sorry." Her already thin voice cracked, but she continued. "And I just want to say… you and the others have every right to be mad at me, but please give me a chance to explain everything first. Please."

His blue eyes searched her. She hated how invasive it felt, but she let him. God, she was tired.

"I don't have anything to say to you on this matter."

She nodded. She understood.

"Let's go back to the others. You need to eat something."

And with that, he left. She followed him cautiously, her heart beating fast and her eyes and nose stinging with tears she wouldn't let herself cry. Today had been a long day.

* * *

They ate in silence. No one had said a word since Clary and Alec returned. The food was simple - tinned tuna and toast - but seeing as no one had eaten for at least a day, it was almost ambrosial. There was only so much of it, however, and soon enough there was no more food to occupy the awkward quiet. Simon cleared his throat.

"Can I… can I say something?"

Clary didn't look at him, her eyes trained solely on the remaining bread in her hands. Jace pretended he hadn't heard. Izzy leant her head into his shoulder, a gentle sign of encouragement. Magnus broke the silence. "Go ahead."

"Um… I've missed a lot of stuff since I've been gone, but… from what I can gather, I don't care all that much for any of it. It's a bit much. So can we just… ignore it? Even if it's just for now, or just for my sake, or just pretend, I don't care. Can we just end the day on a high note?"

Izzy smiled warmly. "That sounds nice," she said quietly, her voice no louder than a whisper. Alec nodded sharply in agreement. Magnus shrugged.

"Personally, I quite enjoy the tense atmosphere, but if you insist…"

Jace scowled at him. Magnus rolled his eyes. "I was joking. God. Lighten up. We need to be able to laugh at ourselves."

"Speak for yourself," Jace muttered. "You can pretend nothing's wrong if you want, mundane, but you'll just be lying to yourself. I'm going for a walk."

Before he could get up, Alec reached out and grabbed his arm. "Jace - don't go."

Somehow, that was enough to convince him to stay. "I'm not going to play along, though," he mumbled.

"What do you want to do?" Clary asked weakly.  
"Let's play a game," Simon suggested. "Truth or dare?"

"Ugh. No. I already know more about most of you than I ever needed to know," Magnus groaned. Simon looked offended.

"Wow. Okay. What do you suggest then?"

Magnus frowned for a moment. "I'm not sure. Most of my favourite games involve either alcohol or sex. Sometimes both."

"Does anyone _else_ have any suggestions?" Simon asked, changing the subject. Isabelle laughed.

"Okay, here's something slightly more innocent."

"Only slightly?"

"It depends on how we play it."

"What is it?"

Isabelle flicked her hair over her shoulder. "We tell a story one sentence at a time. Like… I'd begin by saying one sentence, and then you'd say the next, and we'd go around and around until the story was over."

Simon laughed, sitting up straighter. "This should be interesting. Who'll play?"

Magnus and Alec both said they would, and Clary, very meekly, mumbled that she would too. Jace was the only one who opted out, saying that such a game was stupid. Isabelle cleared her throat, and began, a defiant glimmer in her eyes.

"Fine. Once upon a time, there was a warrior named Jace."

Simon followed. "Jace was very gallant and heroic, and all the fair maidens loved him."

Magnus next: "One day, the… king? Emperor? Benevolent Dictator? They sent him on a very important quest."

"This quest," continued Alec, "involved travelling across the lands, far and wide, to a continent that was both unfamiliar and strange… Australia."

"Australia? Really?" Jace asked.

"I thought you didn't care for games like this," Alec remarked. "And don't judge me on my geographical knowledge. Australia was the first distant place that came to mind."

It was Clary's turn next. "In Australia, Jace had to fight kangaroos, and battle crocodiles, and survive numerous assassination attempts by spiders."

They looked expectantly at Jace, but he ignored them. With a huff, Isabelle continued. "His mission was to find and kill Australia's greatest super-villain… Shark-Man."

"Shark-Man? Really? That's the best you could do?" Jace scoffed.

"Hey - at least I'm contributing."

"Fine. I'll take it from where Clary left off. Jace, the most handsome warrior to ever grace the earth, had been sent on a mission to Australia to fight the fearsome villain that had plagued Australia for too long… Pauline Hanson."

"Who's that?" Simon asked.

"You guys seriously don't… really? I thought you were up-to-date on world politics. Fine. Scratch Hanson. We'll go with Shark-Man."

Isabelle rolled her eyes and continued. "Jace snuck into Shark-Man's palace and stood before his throne, ready for a fight."

"Jace drew his dagger, and Shark-Man scoffed, saying 'That's not a knife - this is a knife!' as he drew his broadsword."

"Technically, Simon, neither of those are knives," Jace spat. "Why would you say that?"

Simon looked dumbfounded. "So we're supposed to get references to Australian politicians, but not to Australian pop culture? Have any of you watched 'Crocodile Dundee'?"

Magnus frowned. "Is that a documentary?"

Simon sighed. "Let's just move on."

Magnus shrugged but continued. "However, before Jace could so much as strike, he keeled over, dead where he stood."

"What the hell, Magnus? Why would you kill me?"

"I'm not killing you, I'm killing off this Jace character. He was frustrating, his character arc was going _nowhere,_ and I wanted to throw in a plot twist."

"So what… this Jace, that bears no resemblance to me whatsoever, just… dies? Like that? The most fierce warrior in the land killed by a Shark-Man-king-thing just because it looked at him?"

Magnus cocked his head in feigned confusion. "No, he drowned."

"Drowned?"

"If Shark-Man had a palace, wouldn't it be underwater?"

"But… that doesn't make sense," Jace mumbled to himself, shaking his head. Magnus smiled.

"Well, maybe not, but whatever I say goes. Alec, do you have anything to add?"

Alec shook his head, but when he saw Jace's indignant look, he relented. "Jace was dearly missed by everyone and his sacrifice was appreciated."

"That's it? Damn, guys, you suck at storytelling. I'm starting the next one off."

"I thought you weren't playing?"

"I am now that I know you guys are shit authors. Okay. New story." Jace paused for effect and began. "Once, there was a fair princess named Clary."

At this, Clary tensed up, but she didn't say anything. Looking uneasy, Isabelle continued. "Clary lived in a tower, guarded by a dragon."

"Wait - really? A tower? A dragon? This 'trapped princess' thing is so clichéd," Jace complained. Isabelle frowned.

"I didn't say she was trapped. I just said she lived in a tower. I hear towers are prime real estate in medieval fantasies. And plus - the dragon isn't keeping her in. It's her pet and partner-in-crime."

"Can the dragon be called Simon?" asked Simon.

"Hell yeah," Izzy said. Simon beamed. Clary even offered up a half-smile.

"Fine. Go on," Jace dismissed.

"Clary spent her days talking with Simon, because they were best friends." Simon gave Clary a reassuring smile.

"One day, a handsome prince, who will remain anonymous, came to the tower and called to her," Magnus added.

Alec, frowning, carried on with uncertainty. "And the prince said, 'hey, princess… you're pretty… pretty.'"

"Smooth, Alexander," Magnus mumbled.

Clary tilted her head up to better project her voice. "The princess was flattered by the prince's advances, and asked Simon to hold him up to her window."

Jace scowled but carried on. "The first thing she noticed about the prince was that he was incredibly handsome, and she was so taken aback by that that she didn't hear him ask for her name. When he asked her again and she answered, he laughed, saying 'oh, good - I was worried you were _hiding something from me_.'"

"I'm pretty sure that's more than one sentence," Clary said quietly. Jace didn't seem to notice. Isabelle scowled at Jace.

"I'm not sure if you heard her, Jace, but Clary was talking to you. She was telling you to stop being a petty piece of shit, but she phrased it nicer."

"Also, it _was_ more than one sentence, so…" Simon trailed off. Jace looked offended.

"Fine. I'll just keep pretending there isn't anything wrong at all."

"Good. Moving on," Isabelle said. "The prince and Clary got talking, and they discovered they had one mutual interest."

Simon grinned. "That mutual interest was… drumroll please… the Lord of the Rings."

Alec groaned. "Really? I don't know anything about the Lord of the Rings."

Simon pretended to be shocked and announced that as soon as they got back, they'd marathon the movies. When asked if he was joking, he replied, rather ambiguously, "you'll see."

Magnus carried on with the story. "They were such big fans of the franchise that they'd often argue over favourite characters and fan theories."

Alec, looking uncertain, went next. "Yeah… Clary's favourite character was… Hufflepuff… but the prince preferred… um… Spock."

Simon looked personally offended. Stifling a grin, Clary took her turn. "Clary didn't care about how different their opinions were - she just enjoyed spending time with him."

Now that Clary had become more involved, it was Jace's turn to stare at the ground with uncertainty. "And… and the prince… he liked spending time with her too, but there were times when he sometimes didn't agree with her opinions. Sometimes, he thought that her opinions were… unforgivable." Simon began to point out that Jace had exceeded the one-sentence limit, but Izzy shushed him. "But… maybe deeming something 'unforgivable' is a harsh sentence. Maybe, even if he didn't agree with her opinions, he could grow to understand them."

They waited in tense silence for him to add more. He didn't. Isabelle went next.

"And… through talking things out, through getting to understand each other's opinions, they realised that maybe it wasn't so bad to disagree on a few things, because it only made the things they did agree on more… valuable." There was something patient, something understanding about the atmosphere. Something that almost made Jace look Clary in the eye for the first time since he'd stormed away from her.

"So they fell in love, got married, and rode Simon the kickass dragon into the sunset! The end," Simon concluded excitedly. The patience in the air dissipated. Jace stood up, brushing the dirt off his pants.

"I'm going to bed."

He left before anyone could object.

They sat in silence, before Magnus stood up too. "I think that's a good plan. We'll have an early start tomorrow, so we need all the sleep we can get."

"Um… where do I sleep?" Clary asked cautiously. "I doubt Jace will take too kindly to me sharing a tent with him tonight."

"We could go back to our original tents," suggested Alec, but Magnus shook his head. "Simon needs someone who can attend to him if his fever comes back. I doubt Jace will be too willing."

"Then… then you can share a tent with Simon," Alec said slowly, thinking aloud. "I'll sleep with Jace. Clary and Izzy - you guys roomed together the first few nights, right? So you'll be okay?"

No one objected, so they went with that. It had been a very long day for all of them, and despite wanting to keep pretending nothing was wrong for as long as they could, sleep beckoned to them all. As the sun set and the last of the afternoon's golden light slipped away, the six found themselves in their tents, unspeaking but thinking hard, until sleep eventually stole them away.

* * *

A world away, two others fell asleep side-by-side, but not in a tent. Ellen, the park owner, had allowed Luke and Jocelyn to stay in a small room. As time passed and they became increasingly desperate for news, their proximity to a phone meant a lot to them. Not that it changed their circumstances - if anything, it made the absence of news even more unbearable. But Jocelyn had spent the last few days so distraught that Ellen hadn't hesitated in giving them a room. Luke could see the unease that the police carried when regarding them - it was so plain on their faces, he didn't need to use his werewolf senses. It was getting to a point in time where kindhearted policemen would gently bring up the possibility of not finding them, to try and ease them into it, but Jocelyn was adamant that they would turn up. Luke didn't know what to think. In fact, he didn't want to think - he found it easier just to comfort Jocelyn. And so that's what he did - he comforted Jocelyn, 24/7. Even now, he lay with his arm around her, his hand on her damp cheek.

"Everything will be okay," he whispered, and he hoped to God he was right.


	13. Searching

"Okay. Let's go over this one more time."

Everyone groaned, but at least Isabelle had the decency to give her brother a half-hearted smile. Alec tried to ignore the others' lack of interest. "So - we drove down the wrong road, lost the car, but managed to stay safe. Magnus had been knocked out in the chaos, and, whilst carrying him, Izzy tripped and fell. We followed her. At this point, we admit the decision was stupid, reckless, et cetera et cetera, but we're just teens who know nothing so please don't push the point further. Okay. Jace - what's next?"

Yawning, Jace frowned. "You know, we have gone over this at least five times so far. I think we get it."

"Come on, Jace. The more familiar we are with the alibi, the more convincing it'll seem."

"Fine. We set up camp at the foot of the embankment and slept in the trees to avoid being found by animals."

"But how did we stay in the trees?" Alec tested.

"With sheer willpower," Jace muttered. "Something we don't seem to lack."

"Please take this seriously. The sooner we're done with this, the sooner we can be searching for a way out."

"Okay. We used rope. We're not entirely sure how we stayed put so well, but we did. Must have been our… guardian angels or something. Pause for effect, start tearing up, then dive into a sob-story of how I lost my parents young and I've always felt that they've been watching over me and my loved ones."

Alec scowled. "You know what? I give up with you. Be as dramatic as you want. I couldn't care less. Okay - Izzy. Your go. What happened next?"

"We ate the supplies we had arrived with, got clean water from the stream, cleaned the miraculously few injuries we had with running water and… prayed?"

"Sure. Simon."

"When it started raining, we kept to the tents and stayed dry to avoid catching colds. It wasn't pleasant, but it was survivable."

"Good, good. Clary?"

"Once we felt well enough to move around, we started trying different methods of finding a way out. The first one was searching for a way to the campground."

"Great. Okay, that's as far as we go today, but let's say we don't find a way out - on our own and with the GPS - what then? Magnus?"

"We say we climbed the embankment in some paranormal feat of strength."

Alec sighed. "Okay. I admit that bit could use some work, but we don't need to memorise that particular part just yet. Right. I think we're ready to get moving, then."

Jace, who had been waiting for that since they'd woken up, 45 minutes ago, took charge. "Okay. We can pair up with the person we shared a tent with last night, alright? Simon needs Magnus, just in case, and… Alec and I work well together, so it makes sense."

Only Clary noticed that he avoided looking her in the eye.

"We set out now, at… what's the time, Simon?"

"7:43."

Magnus grimaced at the early start, but Jace continued. "We meet back here in… three hours? Three hours of solid walking would probably get us seven miles or so. Once you've walked for about three miles, turn around and head back. Are we all okay with that? Yes? Right. Magnus and Simon, you can go south, down the wall that way. Follow the wall. Izzy and Clary, you stick with them until the wall curves, then you go in a straight line. One or both of you should hit the road. Alec and I will go north. Um… good luck."

No one was in the mood to object, so they set off into the unknown without so much as a second thought.

* * *

As soon as Jace and Alec were out of earshot, Clary whispered, "I don't know why he's so angry at me."

"Well, biscuit, how do I say this… you _did_ keep crucial information from us. That's a big no-no, especially when our lives are at risk," Magnus explained helpfully.

"I know that," she said, frustrated, "but I don't know why he's _so_ angry at me. I fully expect all of you to be angry, but… really? He hasn't looked me in the eye since I broke the news to him. He's… I hate to say overreacting, but, you know…"

"I get it," Izzy said. If Simon didn't know better, he thought he heard a trace of bitterness in her voice. "Not only is he angry at you, but he's unwilling to be anything _but_ angry at you. You can't win him over, Clary. Not this time."

"You talked to him, didn't you?"

Her question was met with silence. Clary nodded in understanding. "I get it. You try your best, Izzy, but you can't fix everything. Not when I screw up so monumentally."

"It's not your fault, Clary," Simon mumbled, but she laughed sharply.

"Of course it's my fault. Guys, I'm not… not trying to get pity from you. I know I messed up. I just… I don't know. I think we're all tired, and we all just want to go home."

"Too true," agreed Magnus, who was quieter than usual. "And just for the record, biscuit - I get why you did it. I don't approve of it, but I get it. And I hope you can say the same for me and my… magic."

She didn't answer, but then again, she didn't need to. Of _course_ she felt that way.

"Can we… can we try that game from last night again? But maybe less.. angsty?"

Isabelle laughed at Simon's bumbling request. "Of course, as long as we stay vigilant and keep on the lookout for potential ways out."

"I'll go first," Magnus offered. "Once upon a time, there was a prince called Alexander."

"Oh God," Isabelle laughed. "As cute as you are, Magnus, I'm not helping you write erotic fiction about my brother."

"Please, Isabelle, don't jump to such conclusions! It's not that way at all!" With a wicked smile, he added, "I never said anything about it being fiction."

Whilst Isabelle faked retching noises, Simon picked up the story. "This prince was intelligent and loyal, but he lived a sheltered life in a far away kingdom, unaware of the world outside the kingdom's walls."

"Is this about Alec not knowing the Lord of the Rings?" Clary asked, and Simon smiled faux-innocently in response.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Fine. My go, then." She cleared her throat. "One day, prince Alexander heard someone knocking on the castle door."

"He went to the window to check who it was, but couldn't see anybody," Isabelle continued with a quirk of her eyebrow. "Ooo. Spooky."

"As he looked at the empty threshold in confusion, a small explosion of glitter erupted right in front of his eyes, revealing the most dashing warlock he had ever seen." Upon seeing everyone's disbelieving looks, Magnus amended his sentence. "Fine. A large explosion of glitter."

"Wait - so is the warlock… _hovering_ outside his window?"

"Sure."

"Sweet," Simon said. "Prince Alexander was scared at first, but then the warlock introduced himself as Magnus, and asked if the prince would join him on a magical ride."

Isabelle choked on a laugh. Magnus raised his eyebrows. "Oh. I see."

"Wait! No! I meant… I meant like Aladdin! You know… the magic carpet ride, but without the carpet! Oh God, I fucked that one up."

"That's okay, Simon, I like where this is going," Magnus extolled. Simon was now beet red, and Isabelle took the story over.

"Prince Alexander agreed, but on one condition - that his pet… ooh, his pet _crocodile,_ Isabelle, could come with him. Ha. Take that, Magnus."

Simon smiled to himself. "Did… did you just _croc-_ block Magnus?"

Isabelle laughed in spite of herself. "Okay. Good one. I suppose I did."

Clary continued: "With reptilian in tow, Magnus used his magic to get Alec up - "

"Oh, _Clarissa,_ you're in on this too?"

" - to get Alec up in the air. Flying. God damn it."

"My go!" Magnus said excitedly. "I must say, this is turning out rather erotic. Yet again, Isabelle's prophetic skills reign supreme. Okay. They flew over the kingdom, and Magnus showed Prince Alexander all sorts of things he'd never seen before." He finished with an exaggerated wink. Isabelle, clearly not enjoying herself, had paced her steps so that she was one or two feet ahead of everyone else.

Simon went next. "Isabelle the crocodile made sure they didn't get up to _too_ much mischief and made sure they were at least a metre apart at all times."

With an appreciative glance over her shoulder, Isabelle followed. "As the sun set and they sat on the rooftops looking over the kingdom, Magnus leant in to give Alec a kiss - but then Isabelle ate him whole. The end."

"Damn. Okay. And here I was thinking that you liked me," Magnus said with mock hurt. "And to think - I'll be living with your brother from now on. I suppose Christmases will be a hoot."

He didn't think much about what he'd said until after he said it. In fact, the meaning of what he said hit him so hard he stopped walking.

"Magnus? Are you okay?" Clary ventured.

"Oh… yes, I'm alright. I'm just… wow. I'm actually doing this. I'm actually going to live with Alexander, and… I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I suppose I'll be at a few Lightwood family gatherings. That is, if your parents allow their son to be seen in high Shadowhunter society with a downworlder."

Izzy stopped and fixed him with a confused expression. "Okay, first of all, mum and dad have already gotten used to the whole downworlder thing. Secondly, of course you'll come to Lightwood family gatherings. You're practically family."

Yet another sentiment thrown out casually but weighing much more than intended. Isabelle almost felt bad for treating such an issue so casually. Magnus, however, did not feel bad. In fact, he felt the exact opposite of bad - he felt good. He felt the most good that he had felt in a while.

"Uh… hate to break up the moment, but… this is where we leave you guys…" Simon gestured at the embankment, which had begun to curve slightly. The guys would follow it and the girls would go straight from this point onwards. Magnus seemed reluctant to do so, but Isabelle reassured him with a simple nod before leaving with Clary.

"Hey… Magnus… are you okay?"

"Yes… I'm…. I'm okay. Better than okay, in fact. I'm great."

* * *

"Ha! That was perfect!"

Jace smiled knowingly - of course his impression of Isabelle was perfect. It'd only taken six or so years of mockery to refine.

"Do the heels one again," Alec requested, the attention that should have been focussed on finding a way out instead on Jace. Jace didn't mind it.

Schooling his features into neutrality, Jace raised a single eyebrow, pursed his lips, and, in his best Izzy impression, said, "It's my motto. Nothing less than seven inches. I'm talking about heels, get it?"

Alec laughed, despite having heard that one many times before. "Okay, okay, do… do Simon. That is, if you can."

"Please - that guy's a walking caricature. Okay." He cleared his throat and hunched his shoulders ever so slightly to reduce how muscular he looked. In a voice slightly higher and more frantic than his own, he said: "Wait - you don't know Lord of the Rings? How can you not know Lord of the Rings? It's as iconic as Star Wars. _Please_ tell me you know Star Wars, right? And Harry Potter - you have to know Harry Potter. God, have you been living under a rock?"

"That one was okay… I think it'd be better with direct quotes, though."

"I can't help it - I never listen to him."

"Really? I couldn't tell," Alec said dryly. "I'm almost afraid to ask if you can do a Magnus impression."

Jace laughed to himself and straightened his back, held his hands in the air in front of him, lifted his chin regally and smiled ever so slightly. "Oh, Alexander, you're the most gorgeous human I've ever seen."

Alec frowned. "Well. That was weird. Let's move on."

"You next!"

"You want me to do impressions of someone?"

"No, I'm doing an impression of you. Okay." He hunched his shoulders again and put his hands in his pockets, doing what Alec did to lessen his height. "Hey," he said quietly, "my name is Alec, and I, uh, have the best parabatai ever. He's so handsome and funny and smart and wonderful. Also, I am not your bitch."

Alec smiled. "I thought the point of impressions was to be realistic?"

"What about that wasn't realistic?" Jace asked with mock concern. "Wait - _are_ you my bitch?"

"Do Clary."

Jace faltered. He could have made a joke about 'doing' Clary, but he couldn't be bothered. "Nah. There's not enough material to work with."

"Come on. You know her as well as you know Magnus, and your impression of him was somewhat decent."

"Oh, alright. Am I allowed to use props?"

Alec, sensing what was coming, sighed audibly. "Jace."

"I was just wondering if you had anything of great import that I could borrow and then hide from you."

"Damn it, Jace, I was just trying to have fun."

"I don't understand why the rest of you care so little about what's happened!"

"It's not that we don't care, it's that were willing to overlook it to achieve our ultimate goal of getting out of here. Sulking about it won't help anyone."

Fuming, Jace began to argue with his parabatai once more, but thought the better of it. "Let's just… move on, okay?"

"Okay," Alec said with a faint smile. Sometimes, there were perks to being the only one Jace would allow to have the final say.

* * *

"So… are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah… are you?"

"I meant in regards to your fever."

"Oh right. Um… I guess. I haven't felt all that bad since last night, so…"

Magnus nodded. "Good. Then the magic worked."

"And about last night… sorry. Really."

He dismissed the apology with a wave of his hand. "Nah. It's nothing."

Simon shook his head, insisting. "Honestly. I woke you up in the middle of the night and you healed me. Thanks."

"No problem… but maybe next time, if you're going to wake someone up, try tapping their shoulder or whispering their name or something."

"Isn't… isn't that what I did?"

"Well…" Magnus trailed off, recalling vividly how Simon had kicked him awake. At the mere thought of it, his back, the recipient of the frenzied kicks, ached.

"I don't… I don't remember any of it…" Simon looked concerned, so Magnus disregarded the matter by changing the subject.

"So… what are you going to do once we get back?"

"I'm going to eat," Simon said decisively. Something told Magnus that this conclusion had been reached a while ago. "I'm going to go to McDonald's and order a vegetarian burger with large fries and a large lemonade and I'll be damned if anyone tries to stop me."

"Good idea," Magnus said, his concurrence genuine. "I think I'll join you."

"Excellent. I think there's one near your apartment, just a few streets over… oh, and by the way - I never got to congratulate you on Alec moving in! That's so exciting!"

Magnus blushed. "It is, isn't it?"

"Had you… had you wanted to for a while, or was it an off-the-cuff sort of thing?"

"I'd wanted to for as long as we'd been dating, but… you know me. I don't like to admit when I'm attached to people."

"Don't you?" Simon asked, recalling how possessive Magnus had been of Alec ever since they'd met.

"I have no problem admitting when I find people attractive, or when I like people, because frankly, that happens all the time. But… but being _genuinely_ attached to someone almost scares me. That's one downside of being immortal. Every good thing you're dealt is bittersweet. So for me to keep Alec around me so much… I don't know. It sounds like a wonderful thing, and no doubt it will be, but you must admit my reluctance is warranted."

"Definitely," Simon said, a little too quickly. Backtracking, he continued, "but it'll be worth it. Alec… he loves you. You probably know that. But… you know. He really does. When we were down the river and you two were apart, he… he genuinely missed you. Not your presence, or the things you did for him. He missed _you._ In the most unselfish way possible. And I think it scares him a little, how much he loves you." Reading Magnus' tight expression, Simon dared to add, "and I think it scares you too - how much you love him."

"Love isn't something to be feared," Magnus murmured, but Simon got the impression that he was saying it for himself and not for Simon. After a moment of awkward silence, in which Simon finally decided to look around for a way out (there wasn't any - the embankment was as unrelenting as ever), Magnus cleared his throat. "But you know that. You're in love with Izzy."

"Not the same way," Simon said, so fast it almost seemed defensive. "I mean… of course I love her. But you and Alec are just… you're on a completely different level."

"It's not a competition, Simon. How much I love Alexander has nothing to do with how much you love Izzy. You… you _do_ love her, right? Because she… she's like my sister now, so if you hurt her - "

"I'd never hurt her! I… look, Magnus, I'm a fraction of your age. I'm still figuring everything out. I don't know if I love her, or if it's just… just attraction or something, but this is the closest I've ever felt to love. This…" he took a breath. "This is the closest thing I've felt to how I feel about Clary."

"You still love Clary?"

"Of course I do. Not in a romantic way, but as a friend. As a best friend. And every other girl I've had a crush on… it felt different. It felt more selfish, more like I was in the relationship because _I_ wanted it, regardless of if it was reciprocated or not. But with Clary, and with Isabelle… I know that I would die before I let harm come to either of them. I mean - you can understand that with Clary, right? I've known her my whole life. But Izzy - I'd do the same for her. And I've only known her as long as you have."

Magnus looked at him, at his boyish face, dirtied from the days in the wild. He took in his scruffy hair, his mother's glasses perched atop his nose, his naïve smile. "I'm not an expert by any definition," he said slowly, "but I'd say that's love."

The smile on Simon's face said it all.

* * *

"Iz… can I ask you something?"

She turned to face Clary, taking a break from scanning the surrounding greenery. "Sure."

"What do you think about the whole GPS thing?"

She paused. "Do you want me to be honest?"

As if accepting defeat already, Clary nodded.

"I don't agree with you. If it had been me in that situation, I'd have turned it on and done everything I could to get my family to safety."

Seeing the hurt on Clary's face, she conceded, "but I would have done that without consulting everyone, too. I don't understand why you don't want to use it, but I do understand why you didn't tell anyone. It's because you think you know what's best for everyone. I think that too, about myself. But I doubt either of us is right."

Clary nodded, as if this added up with what she'd thought all along. "I've been thinking about that kind of stuff lately… I mean, how messed up is it that this is what it's come to? None of us know what's best. This kind of stuff isn't covered in training. This is just us… fumbling along. We don't know the best course of action, but we know what we want, and sometimes those two things get confused."

Isabelle smiled reassuringly. "You know what, Clary? I think you're right."

And so they continued to look around in silence, because getting out was the only goal they had that they were certain was the best plan. The trees were beginning to thin, and Clary could faintly make something out in front of them, but -

"Oh no."

"What?"

"The… the embankment…" Izzy ran ahead, and sure enough, the embankment that they had tried to escape was blocking their way. If anything, it looked taller here than it did back at the camp. Trying to orientate herself, Clary turned around in a circle, looking as far as she could.

"It curves back around to cut us off here… we must be in a valley…"

"We're trapped," Isabelle breathed, her words barely registering. "We can't climb this wall, and it surrounds us on all sides…"

Clary didn't want to believe it. She ran to the tallest tree she could see and climbed it, the thick branches making for easy footholds. Once she'd reached the top, she looked around, dodging the twigs that threatened to poke her eyes out.

"It… it _is_ a valley… there are steep walls on every side except that way," she reported, pointing the direction that Jace and Alec had gone.

From below, Isabelle called, "what's that way? Can you see that far?"

She squinted, but couldn't make anything out. It was all just a sea of green. But then -

There seemed to be a discrepancy. An emerald carpet rolled out ahead of her, the trees large enough to distinguish, but after a certain point they appeared indeterminable. It wasn't a gradual fade, it was a swift -

"Drop," she whispered, the breeze stealing the word before she'd uttered it. "There's a drop."

"What?"

"The valley drops off at a certain point… it looks like a pretty drastic change in height, from what I can see."

"So Jace and Alec are… they're heading towards another steep drop?"

Heart pounding in her head, Clary nodded. This wasn't right. How could they have the misfortune of encountering _another_ steep drop? She thought back to the geography lessons she'd endured in school. Scanning the area from her vantage point, she pieced together the layout of their valley. The road they'd come from was cut into a mountain, which formed the west side of the valley. The embankment that surrounded them was the sheer cliff that made up what must have once been a mountain range. The north, where Jace and Alec were, must be the foot of the hills. It made sense, in a geographic way, but she was struggling to comprehend it.

As she climbed down unsteadily, Isabelle looked worried. "So there's no way out?"

"Not that I can see. We're surrounded by cliffs… the shortest of which is the embankment that we can't climb. Our best bet is probably where Magnus and Simon are, where this cliff - " she gestured to the rock face behind them " - meets the wall."

Isabelle didn't know whether or not to trust her. It wasn't because of the GPS incident, it was because of what she'd said earlier - she didn't trust anyone but herself with the welfare of the group, even though most of them probably thought the same thing. Reluctantly, and using all the self-control she had, she nodded.

* * *

"If you had kids, what would you name them?"

Simon was taken aback by this question. So far, the conversation had dealt with lighter topics - cute date ideas, what it would be like to move in with their significant other, the sappy rom-com sort of things that Simon could never discuss with anyone else (even Izzy… _especially_ Izzy). But Simon knew there was more to this question than met the eye. Magnus, on account of him being a warlock and in a relationship with another male, could not have biological children for two reasons. Simon, however, could, as could Izzy, so, assuming they stayed together long enough, this was a decision Simon may feasibly face, whereas Magnus never would.

"I don't know…" He didn't know how to answer without feeling like he was rubbing his ability in Magnus' face. "I've never thought about this before."

"Well, you should," Magnus said with a slight smile. "Life moves fast."

"What would you suggest?" Simon dared to venture.

"Hmm… naming a child after someone you love is always a start."

"But that can also go wrong. I mean… 'Albus Severus' wrong."

Seeing Magnus' raised eyebrow, Simon tried again. "If you're naming a child after someone you know, then it has to be someone you care for a lot. It can't just be someone you kinda-sorta know. Otherwise it's kind of awkward."

"Of course," Magnus said, as if it were obvious.

"The thing is," Simon continued, "I don't know that many people all that well. I mean… apart from the people that are stuck in this forest, plus like two more, and unless they're dead when I have a child, which I hope they won't be, it'd be awkward."

"So name your child after someone you care about who's died," Magnus suggested. Simon, frowning, decided that Magnus wouldn't give up until he'd made a suggestion. His throat went tight, but he managed to choke out one name.

"Jordan."

Magnus stopped in his tracks, and turned to look at him. The youthful smile Simon had borne before now looked pained. _The poor child_ , he thought, for no reason in particular. _The poor, poor thing._

"Good choice," Magnus said, although that was entirely the wrong thing to say. Simon, who was well acquainted with awkward situations, smiled knowingly.

"But it doesn't matter right now, does it? I mean… I don't intend to have kids just yet. I can barely look after myself."

"Well, if you ever do have children, please let me know."

"Why - you need physical evidence that I, Simon Lewis, have had sex?"

Magnus shook his head with a grin. "You stole the punchline right out of my mouth."

"Simon! Magnus!"

They turned to see Izzy and Clary walking towards them with intent. Magnus frowned. "I don't mean to tell you two how to do your job, but aren't you meant to be… that way?"

"We're boxed in on two sides by a cliff and one side by a sheer drop. The only way out is up the side we came."

Simon frowned. "If we're boxed in, how is there a stream?"

Clary shrugged. "The eastern cliff is pretty far away - there's probably a waterfall somewhere that I couldn't see."

"Huh," Simon said, which Magnus considered the understatement of the century.

"So what do we do?" Magnus asked Izzy, as Simon had begun asking Clary more meaningless questions.

"We thought we may be able to climb out where the embankment meets the southernmost cliff - where you guys will end up if you keep walking. We can't scale a regular cliff face because there aren't enough ledges, and the embankment is too steep and soft to get up. But if we use the rock of the cliff to steady us and the dirt of the embankment to climb up, we may have a chance."

She didn't seem convinced of what she was saying, but Magnus knew they were desperate. "Okay," he said, and they kept walking they way they had been going.

"What were you guys talking about?" Izzy asked. "You seemed pretty involved in it, from what we saw from way over there."

"Oh… nothing," Magnus dismissed. "I was telling him how I'd reconstruct his wardrobe when we get back to civilisation. Graphic tees can only do so much, you know?"

"Well, whatever you do, if Simon is at any point covered in glitter, take a photo so I can use it for blackmail material." Magnus was looking at where they were headed, so he couldn't see exactly what Izzy's expression was, but something in her tone sounded disbelieving. Oh well - he didn't care what Izzy thought. He probably _would_ try and cover Simon in glitter at some point.

From behind them, he could hear Simon and Clary talking excitedly about what they'd do when they got out of here - from what Magnus could hear, a lot of it involved pizza.

"It's tough, isn't it."

He was unprepared for Izzy's statement. "Sorry?"

"It's tough."

"What is?"

"Sharing."

At first, he was confused. But then it hit him.

Clary and Simon nattered away behind them, blissfully unaware of what the front pair were discussing. "It's… it's tough, yes, but it's doable."

He thought of all the times Alec had rushed away with Jace, when the excitement of battle had carried him away. All the times Alec had talked of Jace, the almighty Jace, when they were meant to be spending time alone together. He couldn't help it - they were parabatai - but it sometimes stung Magnus.

He guessed it was the same with Simon and Clary.

Seeing as Izzy hadn't acknowledged his previous sentiment, he reached out to her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "It _is_ doable."

And it was. Of course it was. It was as hard as it was easy, he supposed.

Isabelle smiled in a melancholy way, and he felt his heart go out to her. Huh - he'd never thought he'd have all that much in common with a shadowhunter.

The comfort of their camaraderie washed away when Isabelle stopped suddenly.

"Oh God."

He followed her gaze to the cliff that abruptly cut off their path. "Isn't this what you expected?"

"I expected a more gradual join. I thought the cliff would be smaller on this end…"

It wasn't. The cliff rose sharply upwards from where it met the embankment, as if the road that shortened the dirt wall had been hewn from the rocks. He hadn't noticed what was either side of the road when they drove in, but it had been woodland initially. Now that he thought about it, it was feasible that it had slowly become higher and higher until it stopped abruptly and the drop to their left had begun. He shook his head. This was all too complex.

Simon, ever the optimist, had run to where the dirt met the rock. He was trying to climb it, to no avail. The rock cliff was too flat and the dirt was too soft - it kept crumbling underfoot. Even if there was a slight advantage to having a wall to brace himself on, Magnus figured Simon was struggling just as much as he would back at the camp. He had made it a metre or so off the ground when a piece of earth gave way and he fell to the floor.

Clary rushed to his side, inspecting him for cuts, but he shrugged her off. He was fine, but his glasses weren't - one lens was cracked slightly. Upon noticing this, he laughed to himself.

"I suppose they're better than nothing," he announced, and put them back on despite Clary's protests. Once their banter had dissipated, a silent realisation spread over the four of them.

"So… we're stuck?"

No one answered Simon's nervous query. No one wanted to say the answer aloud.

* * *

"How far do you think we've gone?"

"Almost far enough," Jace decided. Alec frowned.

"It doesn't work that way. If we want to make it back in time to meet the others, we have to do what you said earlier. Do you think we've gone three miles yet?"

"Almost," Jace grunted and Alec rolled his eyes. Of course he'd never get anywhere with Jace.

"I think we should go back soon," Alec tried.

"Soon," Jace repeated, monosyllabically. He was determined to find a way out - that much Alec could discern. But why he was so bent on doing so, he couldn't figure out.

"Once we've gone three miles and found our way back, we'll see what the others have found. If they haven't found anything, we use the GPS. This is hardly the be-all and end-all of - "

"With all due respect, Alec, please stop talking."

He stopped, taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"I don't want to fight with you, but I also want to make sure we're doing this right."

"Jace - "

"You know what I said." By now, he had stopped too, but only to encourage Alec to keep moving. "I don't want to sound mean, but we have to pay attention to our surroundings. How else will we find a way out?"

"With the GPS. Like I said."

"It's hardly going to highlight a path for us. All we'll be able to do is see the flat green expanse that we're already well aware of."

"We'll look at the contours on the map. We'll find someplace that isn't so steep and get back to the road."

"But what if we can't find a way out? What if we're trapped here?"

"Magnus can use his magic," Alec said determinedly. "Magnus can get at least one of us out to go and get help - "

"Magnus can't do everything," he spat. It pained him to be so harsh on his parabatai, but he needed to ensure any delusions of surety that Alec had were taken care of. There was no ultimate ending. There was no pre-determined finish line that they'd cross if they tried hard enough. Sometimes, you could try as hard as you could and still get nowhere. Alec _had_ to realise that. But looking at his parabatai, he realised he crossed a line.

"I'm just trying to help."

It was funny - that was exactly what Jace wanted to say to Alec.

"You don't have to shut down everything I say because you're too determined to play the hero, okay?"

"Is… is that what you think I'm doing? You think I'm trying to play the hero and find a way out before anyone else? Just so I can _look good?"_

"Don't say it like that."

"Like what?"

"Like it's not something you would do."

"I'd… I'd _never…_ " It appalled him that his parabatai, the person who was supposed to know him better than himself, thought him capable of putting his own selfish desires before the lives and safety of others. His expression soured. "I don't care how selfish you think I am, Alec - I'd _never_ risk people's lives like that. But it's flattering to know you think that way."

He turned away, not before he saw his arrow strike its mark. The hurt on Alec's face said it all - that in the spur of the moment, he'd lashed out, angry that Jace had been so cruel to him. That he hadn't meant it.

But it was too late for Jace to care.

"Jace," Alec began, but Jace was storming ahead, eyes squeezed shut because he just needed to think for one _fucking second -_

"Jace!"

He didn't care about the alarm in Alec's voice, he just kept striding ahead. He heard Alec's feet slamming against the ground, heard him pounding towards him, but refused to acknowledge it.

"Jace, watch out!"

It was at that moment that Jace stopped, because he heard warning in Alec's voice. He heard fear.

He opened his eyes to the drop before him, where the earth ended so suddenly and didn't start again for a good ten metres below. The split was clean, as if it had occurred as a result of a long-ago earthquake. He wasn't sure.

He turned to thank Alec for the warning, but it seemed that Alec hadn't realised he'd stopped a second ago and was still running towards him. He tried to stop short of his parabatai, but he tripped ever so slightly -

Jace felt Alec's weight on him, and he felt his body tilt dangerously backwards -

And he felt the world give way as the two of them careened over the edge of the world.

He _didn't_ feel Alec twist ever so slightly so that he'd be the one to bear the impact of the fall.

He _didn't_ feel the pain that shot up Alec's leg when he landed on it.

But he did feel the resounding thud that their landing caused.

His breath was shaky. He could feel his leg ache, but it was an absent sort of pain. He reached for a stele, but he didn't have one.

"Alec… do you have a stele?"

No response.

"Alec?"

Silence.

* * *

Magnus was trying for the third time to fruitlessly climb the embankment when he felt it. He felt an ache rush through him, burning and all-consuming. It crippled him, made him gasp aloud. The pain wasn't his - that, he was sure of. But he knew exactly whose it was.

"Alexander," he managed, before the pain disappeared as swiftly as it had come. He tried to pull on the line that connected them, the line he had inadvertently created, but there was no response. No reassurance.

And so even though he knew all eyes were on him, even though he knew the others were waiting for him to inform them, he ran. He ran, he ran, he ran.

"Magnus? Magnus!" Izzy called after him, but he didn't wait to respond.

Clary whirled to face her. "What's wrong? What did he say?"

"I didn't hear," Izzy mumbled, her brow creased with worry. Simon, who looked almost as anxious as her, glanced upwards.

"You didn't hear?"

"No," she breathed.

"He…" Simon gulped. "He said 'Alexander'."

"Alec," Izzy mumbled, numb. " _Alec."_

This time, nobody questioned why she was sprinting away.


	14. Finding Strength

"Alec? _Alec?"_

His parabatai was unresponsive. Something roiled inside him, something hot and angry and ugly, something that made him want to throw his head back and howl. _No no no no NO._ This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not when the elusive finish line had been close enough to touch.

Jace sat up, blinking away the tears that had formed. He didn't give a shit anymore. He was going to cry and nobody was going to stop him. As his vision cleared, he saw Alec's broken body lying as it had been when Jace had landed on top of him. His leg was bent unnaturally, and Jace could just make out a sticky red pool underneath it. Cursing violently under his breath, he checked the wound and found that despite the gathering blood it wasn't too deep. Trying to stay his rising fear, he recalled how passing out in pain isn't uncommon, particularly when there's a sudden loss of blood. Best case scenario, Alec was just in a lot of pain. Worst case scenario… Jace gulped. His stomach lurched when he saw the dots of blood forming where he had hit his head.

Staggering to his feet, he surveyed his surroundings, using his training to override the instincts that made him want to kill something. They had fallen from a small cliff that was about ten metres high and made from solid rock. The ground under their feet was hard rock too - no wonder Alec looked so mangled.

 _Alec,_ he thought, and the tears returned to his eyes. This wasn't fair. This wasn't _fucking fair_. He looked away from his parabatai, redirecting his attention before he exploded. Using all the strength he could muster, he staggered to the solid stone wall and examined it for hand- and footholds. There were enough for one person to climb out, but they were too shallow for a weighed-down person to get a good enough grip.

"Fuck it all," Jace muttered, and punched the wall. Pain raced through his knuckles, droplets of blood slowly forming from where his skin had been grated, but he didn't care. He wanted the pain. He wanted to feel it because goddamnit he wanted to feel something other than the staticky numbness that he felt in his chest. He punched the wall again and again and again until his fists were singing with pain and his blood stained the rock. It was only when breathing steadily became too difficult that he stopped.

Jace leant his head against the rock, against the inexorable stone, and he let a sob shudder through his body. His skin felt hot as he slid down to a kneeling position, letting his forehead scrape down the wall. _Alec wouldn't want this,_ a small voice said. _Don't hurt yourself._ But that only made him hurt more, because Alec was fucking _broken_ and it was his fault for being too petty to look up.

He lifted his head to the sky, pale sunlight flooding his vision, and he whispered, "Alec."

But that wasn't enough. The roaring beast inside was still thundering through his veins. And so he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and howled with all that was left of him, " _ALEC!_ "

* * *

Magnus heard him before he saw them. In a way, hearing a voice should have been a comfort - it meant that Jace was okay. But when you're worried for your boyfriend's life and you hear someone scream his name in agony, all thoughts of comfort dissipate. When he reached the ledge the other two had fallen off, Magnus barely had the sense to stop. In fact, if Isabelle hadn't grabbed his hand, he quite possibly would have careened off the edge too.

Regardless of how solid the ground was underfoot, Magnus felt like the world had been swept away beneath him. Alec was lying there, his leg crooked, blood pooling, and Jace was standing at the foot of the drop covered in scratches. Some awfully bitter part of Magnus hated that Jace was standing and Alec was not. He hated that he thought that, but that didn't change the fact that he did. In the time that Magnus had been staring at the two of them down there, it seemed he had found his way to a sitting position. Or perhaps Isabelle had helped him there. He didn't know and didn't care. But when Clary and Simon burst onto the scene, both him and Izzy were sitting down, subconsciously lessening themselves to become as helpless as they felt.

When Clary and Simon saw Jace and Alec, they both blanched. When Jace looked up and saw Clary, he paled too. He didn't want her here - he didn't want her seeing him like this, bloodied and battered and half-gone. But she did see him, and an odd part of him found peace in that.

"Is Alec - "

"No," Jace answered. He didn't care what she was saying. Is he okay? No. Is he dead? No.

"We… Magnus," Simon muttered, whirling to face the warlock. "Your magic. You have to be able to do something."

"I… I… I don't feel good," he said, and vomited into the bushes. Clary looked on with pity.

"Magnus… do you feel capable of getting them up here?" The question sounded timid, but everyone could hear the intensity behind Izzy's words.

He nodded slowly, but then added hastily, "If I use what I have to get them up here… I'm so sorry, Iz. I can feel the magic leaving me now. I won't be up to getting us out of here."

She gulped. "But… but there's no way out…"

"Hey," Simon said calmly, kneeling down next to her. "Hey. Look at me. We'll turn on the GPS. We'll find a way out."

"But if we don't? Magnus can't get us out," she whispered.

"Then we wait for the police to show up and save us. It's their job."

"But… what if…" Her voice cracked a little. "What if no one's looking for us?"

Simon leant backwards, as if putting space between them would allow him to register what she'd said better. _What if no one was looking for them?_ He hadn't even considered that an option. Jocelyn _would_ set the police on their trail - he was almost sure of it. And that person he'd overheard… surely, there couldn't be too many lost people between here and New York?

But the more he thought about it, the more uncertain he seemed. _What if, what if, what if?_

"Iz?" Clary walked over to her, eyes glittering with tears. "We'll make it. Whatever comes our way, we'll make it. We saved the world, remember? It's going to take more than the wild to keep us down." With a faint glimmer of a smile on her lips, she took Izzy's hand. "We need to get Jace and Alec up here, to make sure they're safe. We'll cross the other bridges when we get to them."

Nodding slowly, Izzy turned to Magnus. "I hate to ask too much of you, Magnus, but - "

"Of course. Of _course,_ " he said to himself, as if the words were enough to fortify his strength. Izzy looked to Clary once more.

"I trust you," she whispered, and that was enough to make Clary's brimming eyes overflow.

Magnus' familiar blue sparks echoed around his fingers, though without the strength of before. Slowly, both Jace and Alec began to hover off the ground, Jace using his arms for balance, Alec drooping limply. Magnus frowned, his fingers becoming more rigid, but the parabatai dropped a few centimetres before falling back to the ground. It wasn't a big enough fall to cause feasible damage, but Magnus looked as pained as though he had pushed them off the cliff himself.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, "I'm so sorry - I can't. I'm not strong enough."

"Could you… could you lift one of them?"

All eyes went to Clary. Magnus' brow furrowed as he concentrated. "I guess…"

"Izzy - give me your stele." She didn't hesitate before handing it over. Without so much as a second thought, Clary gave herself the surefooted rune and leapt over the ledge, ignoring Simon's bleat of panic. She landed safely, right next to Alec, and assessed the damage. "He's… he's okay. I think. Magnus, you need to lift Alec out of here."

"What about Jace?" It was Simon who asked it, and even though nobody reacted, Jace would never forget it.

"Jace," Clary explained, "will climb back up. With me."

He held up his bloodied knuckles in protest. "I can't - "

"I'll give you an iratze. It'll be okay," she said softly, her steady green eyes calming him. She reached out to him, stele held delicately in her fingers, and Jace swallowed his pride and surrendered his arms to her. Trying to hide her smile of appreciation, she got to work, and Jace could feel the pain ebb away as his skin knitted itself back together. He thanked her for healing his hands, but she wasn't finished. She tended to the lesions on his arms, and insisted on checking his legs for breaks or sprains. When she was satisfied that he was okay to climb the wall, she straightened up and looked him in the eye.

"Wait - your forehead is bleeding. Let me - "

"It's okay," Jace snapped, trying to push her attention away. "Let's just make sure Alec's okay, and then we'll try and climb that thing."

"It's not okay, Jace, you're hurt. I can just do an iratze - it won't take long."

"I said I'm fine."

"Jace, let me - "

"I'm fine!" He hadn't meant to bark it so loudly, and for a split second, he thought he had scared Clary. But there was no fear in her expression - instead, there was a steely determination that almost made _him_ afraid.

"I know you're mad at me, Jace. I know you're worried about Alec. I _know_ you don't want to let me help you. But there's a difference between being noble and stupid, and to let yourself hurt for the sake of being the bigger person is _stupid._ I don't care if you want to scream at me, slap me, beat me into a pulp. You can do it. But not before we've made it our of here alive, okay?"

He was so taken aback by her outburst that he didn't object when she gently cupped his face in her hands and applied an iratze to his brow. By the Angel, he had missed her touch. Part of him wanted to bat her hands away, but the other part of him wanted to melt into her right then and there.

She withdrew her hands, the iratze done and the wound already healing, but neither of them broke the other's gaze. There was something unsaid between them, something that both wanted to scream into the other's face but couldn't find the words for, something that tore them apart and stitched them together all at once.

"Okay - I'm going to lift Alec now," Magnus mumbled, and out of the corner of his eye, Jace could see the blue sparks coming to life. Clary broke eye contact by spinning around to watch what was happening, and a selfish part of Jace wanted to whirl her right back around so he could keep looking at her. Keep trying to say what he felt without words.

Slowly, Alec started to levitate off the ground. Nobody dared say a thing as he rose higher and higher, Magnus concentrating so hard he wasn't breathing. It was clear lifting one person was easier than two - instead of the fumbling ascent that Jace and Alec had begun, Alec was steadily rising. By now, Magnus had almost turned blue in the face from the effort, but nobody was watching him - all eyes were on Alec. He was almost at the ledge where Simon, Izzy and Magnus waited - if he were to drop from here he'd suffer more damage.

Ever so slowly, Izzy reached out for her brother, her skin paler than usual, and secured a hand around his leg. With Simon's steadying hand on her shoulder, she pulled her brother over to solid ground and cradled his head gently. Only then did Magnus release him.

Simon leant over the edge of the drop with a hand outstretched. "Clary - the stele."

She threw it up to him and despite all his un-athletic tendencies, he caught it on the first try. Izzy then set to work runing Alec with iratzes, mumbling what may have been a prayer over and over. When Simon leant in, however, he discovered the litany was not religious at all, but rather a stream of violent threats promising all of her wrath on Alec if he didn't wake up.

Clary turned back to Jace. "Are you ready to climb?"

He looked at the wall, then back at her. "Are you… are you sure about this?"

"What other choice do we have?" She asked, with mild irritation. "We scale it now or later - whenever you feel up to it."

There was something he wanted to say, something so undeniably true that it almost seemed obvious, but he couldn't put a finger on it. He scanned her face for anything that would give away her knowing what it was, but she didn't appear to. She just watched him carefully for any sign of pain.

At last, he took a deep breath, and whispered, "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"I could have done the iratzes myself. You didn't need to put yourself at risk for me."

"Jace… firstly, I know you wouldn't have done the iratzes you needed. You would have healed your knuckles, maybe one of your arms, enough to feel _better_ but not enough to stop the pain. You would have felt guilty about not hurting when your parabatai so clearly is, and you would have risked your own safety by climbing that wall with injuries. I couldn't let you do that." She stepped in closer to him so that the next words were spoken directly into his throat. "And secondly - you know me. My fatal flaw - I'm a risk taker."

And perhaps it was the way she said it, the mischievous glint in her eyes. Perhaps it was because she was so close that she was all he could think about. Or maybe, just maybe, he had wanted to do it for a very long time. Whatever reason, Jace leant down and kissed her.

Part of Clary hadn't expected the kiss. Part of her had. But all of her knew that if Jace hadn't kissed her first, she would have kissed him. Was this forgiveness for her secrecy? Not at all. But it was something else, something so important it felt like it was tearing her limb from limb. Something inexpressible by words, something physical, something electric, something all-consuming. This wasn't an idle expression of affection - this was a battle cry that echoed through her bones.

Jace knew that, too. He knew that the indescribable feeling he had felt could only be expressed in this way. He cared for her so much, too much, and she was here, she was here, she was _here._

 _They_ were here.

He finally pulled away, breathing heavily, as if kissing her had taken a toll on him. But she understood now - he could tell. She understood how complex this all was, how much he wanted her, how much he felt. So without a further word, he walked over to the rock wall and began his climb.

She was beside him in an instant, and her lighter weight and smaller fingers made it easier for her to use the tiny handholds available. Even though a sadistic part of him missed the pain shooting through him, it was a relief not to find his limbs shuddering with each movement.

Clary was ahead of him, scaling the wall with comparative ease. There was no way she could help him - she was flattened against the rock, and to pull away and reach for him would cause her to fall off. All she could do for him was reach the top and guarantee her own safety.

* * *

Isabelle was still muttering hurriedly under her breath as she drew whatever runes she could think of that would bring her brother back. Simon didn't know whether or not it was possible to overdose on runes, but if it was, Isabelle was pushing the limits. Magnus looked on forlornly, as if he wanted to help but couldn't. Simon didn't doubt this was the case - he'd spent so much magic bringing Alec up here that he appeared to have crumpled. It was unfair on Magnus, Simon decided, for his magic to be so intrinsically linked to his emotions. Perhaps it wasn't - perhaps it was just Alec - but seeing his boyfriend so broken had knocked him off his feet. Magnus noticed Simon staring, and offered him a weak smile.

The tenderness of the moment vanished when Isabelle gasped loudly. Simon looked to her first, to her disbelieving joy, and then to Alec - to see his eyelids fluttering. To see his head moving in discomfort.

* * *

Jace was struggling to get higher than a few metres, his grip weak and the increasing sweatiness of his hands not helping. Clary had almost made it, and he was so far behind. Why couldn't he do this? He reached for another small dent in the rock, securing his hand on it, but his arm felt hollow when he tried to haul himself up.

But then -

But _then -_

Something sputtered to life inside him. Something small and weak and fragile but _there_ nonetheless. And he found a whole new cavern of strength inside him, a well of power infinitely deeper than he'd thought.

It was almost as if Alec was in his mind, whispering to him: _get your sorry ass up here._

And so with his renewed strength, he did.

* * *

Clary made it to the ledge and used the uneven ground to haul herself up. Seeing Alec conscious made the pain ringing in her fingers dull.

"He's okay?"

"He's not responding to what I'm saying, but that could be out of stubbornness," Izzy reported. She had adopted the matter-of-fact tone that she often used to hide how emotional she felt.

"But he's okay," Simon concluded, saying what Isabelle knew she couldn't. Not without breaking down. Simon frowned. "Where's Jace?"

"Coming," she said, but she wasn't certain. She made to go check on him, but Simon beat her to it.

"Sit down, Clary. Rest."

So she did.

Jace's seemingly infinite strength was a lot more limited than he'd realised. He was so close, so tantalisingly close to reaching the top, but his arms felt like they were about to give way. _Less than a metre left_ , he reassured himself, but that offered little consolation. _Come on, Jace, come on._

And then, he felt a hand on his, someone reaching down to help haul him up. He couldn't look up to see who it was, but he could have sighed aloud at the relief of having help. The hand gripped his wrist and pulled him upwards, allowing him to find surer footing and clamber up to the ledge. When he was finally safe, he was able to see who'd helped him.

Huh. Simon Lewis was watching him with concern, his hand still close to Jace's wrist.

"Did you… did you pull me up?"

"Of course," he said, as if it were no big deal. Jace frowned, still processing it. He had thought the person hauling him up was relatively strong… much stronger than Simon, who could only manage eleven chin-ups.

"You're… you're stronger than I thought you were," Jace mumbled. Simon looked touched.

"That just might be the nicest thing you've ever - "

"It's not saying much, considering I didn't think you were strong at all, but you know."

"Oh…" Simon's smile faltered. Jace winked.

"Just kidding. I'm impressed, Lewis."

Simon, who still looked uncertain of whether or not to trust Jace, gave him an awkward thumbs-up. "Thanks for that… and uh… good job getting that far up the wall. It was pretty impressive."

"As much as your awkward compliments are… fascinating, I have a feeling this'll be more of interest to you," Clary said, gesturing at Alec.

Jace crawled over to his parabatai, whose eyes were now open. It looked like he was struggling to say something but couldn't.

"Hey… Alec… um… sorry about the whole… thing. I should have listened to you."

Alec shook his head slightly, but Jace paid no heed.

"And I just… yeah. I'm so sorry this happened to you, Alec. God."

Alec shook his head again. If he wanted to say something, he couldn't. And then, although he'd only been conscious for a minute or two, his eyes fluttered close once more. Jace winced, as if seeing his parabatai like this was painful. Simon couldn't help but feel bad for him - he knew if it were Clary fading in and out of consciousness, he'd be in as much agony.

Magnus, who had been watching carefully, shuffled himself closer to Alec. Even though it clearly pained Jace to be apart from Alec, he respectfully edged aside to let Magnus in. The two of them, both hurting for Alec, shared a nod - quick, decisive, and bottomless in meaning. _Perhaps this was what Alec had been talking about that morning_ , Magnus pondered - _perhaps this was the primal bond that circumstance had forged. Perhaps it could only have been found at the end of this violent path._

"I'm sorry," Jace whispered for Magnus alone.

"For what?"

"For this. For not listening to Alec. It was my fault that he wound up like… like this. I'm so sorry."

Magnus considered this carefully Did he have any right to accept Jace's apology? After all, it was Alec he was apologising to. Wasn't he?

But maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was apologising to Magnus. Jace, who constantly rebuked the idea of condolences because apologies were for when you'd wronged someone. Jace, who thought 'I'm sorry for your loss' was meaningless unless you'd caused the loss. Perhaps now, of all times, Jace had realised that apologies weren't just about settling scores. They were about expressing empathy, a hurt that manifested itself differently for different people but was hurt nonetheless. And so Magnus took a deep breath, and whispered, "thank you."

* * *

The trek back to the camp was long and slow. Both Alec and Magnus had to be supported, and Jace was determined to still be injured by Clary, who noticed the limp he was trying to hide. Clary wasn't too great herself, with her fingers bloodied and arms shaking from the rough ascent, but she was in comparatively good health. Izzy was shaken, but she brushed it off quickly. Simon seemed to have come off best of everyone, with his only ailment being that he'd strained his arm when hoisting Jace up (although he'd never admit that he'd hurt himself doing something as _mundane_ as that).

Because of this, the job of carrying Alec was shared between Simon and Izzy. He was too tall for one person to carry, so they shared his weight between them, Izzy cradling his torso and supporting his head whilst Simon had a hold of his legs. It wasn't the most comfortable of arrangements, especially not for Alec, but it was all they could manage. After denying profusely that he was injured, Clary finally agreed to let Jace walk on his own - only, she reminded him, because she had to support Magnus. If it had been any other day, Magnus would also have claimed he was fine and brushed it off, but he didn't feel like being heroic. Instead, he gratefully accepted the shoulder Clary offered as they stumbled along.

After fifteen minutes of painstaking silence, Isabelle requested a break - it felt as if Alec had gotten heavier the further she'd walked. Simon didn't object, and even Jace quietly obliged. They sat where the forest was less dense and they could all face each other.

"Well," began Clary, "now's a good a time as any to discuss our next move."

They looked around at each other, waiting for a suggestion. Nobody said anything, but not because they didn't know what to do - because nobody felt like talking. Personally, Magnus felt that he'd vomit if he was asked to speak. Not when he had Alexander's head in his lap, his eyes closed and breathing measured.

It was Simon who broke the silence. "We use the GPS, I guess. Nobody found a way out?"

Eyes downcast, they shook their heads. Simon gulped. "GPS it is, then."

Nobody had anything else to say - they didn't particularly want to. Not after what they'd been through. So Clary cleared her throat and tried something different.

"Okay. Here's a dilemma for you all. Would you rather die to save a thousand people, but know no one would ever know it was you, or live knowing that everyone would know you didn't save a thousand people?"

Seeing the quizzical looks she was given, Clary shrugged. "It's just a question to make you think."

"The first option," Izzy said with confidence. "I could never live with letting a thousand people die… and if everyone else knew, it'd be even worse."

"But… think about it," Simon said, frowning slightly. "If nobody, absolutely nobody, knows that it was you who died, doesn't that mean your family and friends will never know? I mean, I don't care about being thought of as a hero, but for your family to not know how you died… I don't know if I could do that to them. To the people I care about."

"So you'd let a thousand people die just so your family could have closure?" Isabelle asked, her tone borderline aggressive. Sensing this, Simon shook his head profusely.

"Not at all. I'd probably choose the former option as well. But… it's not such a black-and-white decision, is all."

"I have another dilemma before you all," announced Jace, sparing himself, Clary and Magnus from answering. "Would you rather have your parent read through every single message you've ever sent, or your significant other?"

Magnus laughed shortly, accidentally drawing attention to himself. He mumbled, "I just imagined a Prince of Hell reading over my sexts to a shadowhunter. No, I'd rather it was Alexander."

Being able to speak so lightly was like a breath of fresh air. Perhaps all was not lost.

Smiling to herself, Isabelle nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. I don't know… I'd probably say S.O. as well."

Simon blushed. "I… uh, it's a really close call… I'd say… parent. Maybe."

"What?" Isabelle asked, her eyes widening in incredulity. "What are you hiding from me, Simon Lewis?"

"Nothing," he muttered, but he caught Clary's smirk. He remembered all the late-night / early-morning text conversations they'd had, with him freaking out over how hot Isabelle was, and how little he knew about dating. He'd rather his mum be reassured of her son's innocence than Isabelle-freaking-Lightwood, angel on earth, know what a bumbling idiot he really was when it came to loving her. But he saw her growing smile, the smile that was self-assured that he wasn't hiding scandalous messages to another pretty shadowhunter, and it made him smile, too - she didn't think he was anywhere near as suave and mysterious as he'd hoped. Oh well.

"I… I agree with Simon," Clary admitted. "It'd be a close call, but… I'd show my mum."

"Excuse me?" Jace asked, his voice full of shock. She tried to play off her answer as flippant, but Simon knew exactly why - for every message he'd sent Clary about how stunning Izzy was, she'd sent at least four complaining about Jace being insufferable. It was all affectionate, of course, but Clary used Simon as a sort of sponge to vent all of her frustrating thoughts into, and it just so happened that Jace was often at the forefront of those thoughts. There was nothing especially damning to be found, but Simon doubted Jace's ego could handle Clary's relentless (though very creative) insults.

"I'll speak for Alec," Isabelle volunteered, getting Clary out of confronting Jace. "I think he'd rather show a parent."

Magnus raised an eyebrow. She shrugged. "I don't think he'd want you to have all that blackmail material to hold over his head," she admitted, thinking back to the countless stupid messages the two had exchanged.

Magnus, however, shook his head fervently. "I am almost certain he'd choose me. I think your parents would die if they read his messages."

"The dilemma only applies to messages he's sent, not received," Jace said with a knowing grin.

Magnus smirked. "I know."

Fake gagging, Isabelle hurried the conversation along. "Okay. One more and then we get moving again."

"I have one," Magnus announced. A chorus of groans echoed around the clearing. There was no positive outcome to this situation. "Would you rather sleep with your partner's best friend, or have your best friend sleep with your partner?"

Isabelle frowned. "Well, if I choose the first option, I sleep with Clary, and in the second option, Simon would sleep with… Clary, I guess. Or maybe Alec. Either way, I can't see the latter option going well." She nodded at Clary. "So I guess I'd sleep with you, Little Red."

Clary rolled her eyes. "Well, I'd have to choose between me sleeping with Alec or Jace sleeping with Simon, so… I don't think there's any good outcome. I mean… there's no sexual chemistry between either of those pairings. Unless there's something I don't know about," she added quickly, glancing at Simon and Jace. To Simon's mortification, Jace winked at him, biting his lip playfully.

"Well, I guess that answers that question," Clary mused. "I'd choose my partner sleeping with my best friend."

"I'd have the same options, right? Me and Simon or Clary and Alec? I'd pick Simon and me as well," Jace decided. Simon had flushed bright red, and stumbled when contributing his answer.

"I'd have to choose between me sleeping with Clary or Alec and Izzy sleeping with Clary… um, if you're okay with it, Iz, I'd choose the latter."

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "Wow. What wonderfully consistent results."

"And you?" Simon dared to ask. The amusement vanished from Magnus' face.

"And me… what?"

"Who would you choose?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you rather sleep with Jace, or would you rather Alec sleep with… your best friend."

"Alec _is_ my best friend," Magnus replied with a wry smile.

"Fine. Alec with Catarina," suggested Isabelle.

Magnus scowled at her. "Oh, so you're fine with discussing your brother's sexual life now?"

"If it makes you uncomfortable, of course," she replied brightly.

Rolling his eyes, he decided, "I'd sleep with blondie. Catarina's not Alec's type, and… well, I'd pity the fool that tried to get into her bed. Not… not now, after all."

"Um… I appreciate that," Jace announced, and the look on Magnus' face clearly asked why that confirmation was necessary. Looking ever so slightly sheepish, Jace added, "I try and cherish the compliments you give me. They're few and far between."

"Please, you adore yourself enough for the both of us."

Jace made to snap back, but the conversation was promptly halted by Alec's eyes fluttering open.

"Alec! Are you okay?" Isabelle asked, but he didn't respond. His eyebrows inched marginally inwards, as if trying to frown. Making gentle hushing sounds, Magnus stroked his hair idly. He wished his magic was its usual self, but he knew that to save Alexander now would drain him entirely.

Alec's show of life changed the atmosphere dramatically. No one felt up to playing silly games - their only goal was to get back to the camp.

They waited until Alec had lapsed back into his comatose state, which took about thirty seconds, before standing again. Then, like before, they trudged back to the relative safety of their tents.

* * *

"Are you sure?"

They sat in a circle, their eyes hooded and their expressions sour. Despite his current state, Alec was there too, lying with his head in Magnus' lap. They had agreed that everyone needed to be present when the decision was made, even if they weren't conscious to experience it.

"We're sure, Clary," Isabelle confirmed, resting a gentle hand on Clary's shoulder. She could tell the other girl was reluctant, and perhaps she had reason to be. However, this was their last shot at getting out of here - now that Magnus' magic was so drained, there was no choice but to hope for a route out.

Clary surveyed the circle with a sombre expression, waiting until everyone (bar Alec) had given a nod of agreement. Then, and only then, did she hold the power button of the GPS down until the screen flickered to life.

* * *

It was 1:49 when the phone rang. Jocelyn had answered it before the second ring.

"Hello?" She answered, a plea in itself. Luke hated to hear her so desperate, so broken.

"Yes, it's Jocelyn," she told the caller, her voice quaking.

And then her demeanour changed. She froze. She straightened her back. Her breathing steadied and her voice grew stronger. She nodded a few times, told the caller she understood, and then hung up the phone.

Luke stood up off the bed, searching her face for something, anything.

"Well?"

She took a deep breath. "There was a signal from a GPS that their radars picked up this afternoon, from about twenty minutes ago, around the other side of the mountain."

Luke's eyes widened. "Clary…"

"Clary has a GPS," she said breathily, a smile breaking out across her tired face. "Clary has a GPS!"

Luke pulled her into an embrace, tears welling up in his eyes. God, he had missed her smile.

"They're alive, Luke," she whispered. "They're _alive."_

* * *

 **Hey guys!**

 **Thanks so much for reading another chapter! I'd just like to acknowledge annieherondalelightwood for her idea of giving Jocelyn and Luke a sign. I hope you enjoyed it, and please review if you have any thoughts! Also feel free to PM me if you have any queries / comments!**

 **Have a wonderful day!**

 **\- The Potterhead from Middle Earth xxx**


	15. Veni Vidi Vici

Clary stared at the screen blankly, at a loss for words. There was simply no point in saying anything - the purpose of speaking is to communicate a point, and the GPS's reading had made the point clear enough.

"Are you sure?" Simon asked again, and Clary wished he wouldn't. She wished he wouldn't make her navigate the pixellated map again, prove to him once more that they were -

"Trapped," Izzy spat, as vehemently as if it were a curse. "We're trapped, Simon. Let it be."

Simon shook his head fiercely, as if his denial would change the GPS' reading, as if the too-steep contours of the valley around them would flatten if only he willed them to. But no matter how much he wanted to get out - how much any of them wanted to get out - the fact remained that they could not.

"What do we do now?"

It was Jace who asked it. The hopelessness in his voice almost made Clary wince - Jace was never anything but sure of himself.

"We wait," Simon said, taking control of the situation. "We wait until we're found, or until Magnus gets well enough to help us up this slope."

Huh. Not only was Jace unsure, but Simon was being decisive. Clary thought that if they ever made it out, Jocelyn and Luke may not believe those things.

Without much further discussion, the group settled back into their tents. Magnus and Alec were in theirs, both recovering, although Alec now had a bandage plastered to his wound and a stiff stick bound as a splint to his leg. Jace climbed into his tent, pausing at the threshold.

"Well?"

With a start, Clary realised he was propping open the tent-flap for her to get in first. As if he wanted her there.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Izzy smiling gently. Maybe all was not lost.

She took a deep breath and followed Jace into the tent.

* * *

"Jace - "

"Can I talk first?"

She gulped and nodded slowly. With what could have been a hint of a smile, Jace continued. "I know you're sorry. You've been trying to tell me that all along, and… I've heard you, Clary, but you know me. Hearing isn't the same as listening. To listen, you have to take what you're hearing seriously, and - and I'm sorry for not listening to you. You were right, huh? The GPS did more harm than good. And after all the division it caused, after how angry it made me, after my blind anger led to Alec getting hurt and Magnus spending most of his magic… I just wanted to say that _I'm_ sorry."

She was silent for a second. "Me, not it."

"What?"

"You said 'the division _it_ caused', and 'how angry _it_ made you'. But it wasn't the GPS that did that. It was me. No matter whether or not I was right, I still made a stupid decision that could have proven harmful. I accept your apology, but I need you to know that I'm not willing to shake the blame."

His smile was full this time. "You're… you're so…"

"Wow. Jace Herondale, lost for words. That's got to be a first."

"I was going to say that you're incredible, but I rescind that and I'll instead say: you're so _frustrating,_ Fray."

She laughed playfully, and he shook his head in earnest. "Really! You frustrate me beyond belief. And do you know why? Because even when I was mad at you, I still wasn't. I knew what you _did_ was shitty, but I couldn't convince myself that _you_ were shitty - and believe me, I tried. You frustrate me, because I've spent my life around frustrating people, and you are frustratingly un-frustrating."

"That sounds frustrating," she commented sarcastically, leaning into him.

"It is," he mumbled, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as she fell into place next to him like a puzzle piece. "Incorrigibly so."

She slipped her fingers into his, the way she'd wanted to ever since their initial dispute. "Hey - I finally figured out what your fatal flaw is."

"I thought we agreed it was that I was selfish."

"It's not - you're not selfish, not self-obsessed, not even self-involved; you just care intensely for the people you love. You care _so_ deeply about your loved ones, and you're afraid if others knew, they'd exploit that as a weakness. So you act as if you're the only person you care about, because if that's the case then nobody will ever hurt anyone to get to you." She paused. "It's not that you care too much about yourself - it's that you care too much about the people you love ."

She waited for a response, but none came. Twisting slightly to gauge his reaction, she found that he was watching her with tearful eyes.

" _Jace,_ " she whispered, regretting saying anything that would ever hurt him -

But then he kissed her. His lips parted hers with an intensity that she'd never felt before, an urgency that spoke more than any words ever could. It wasn't like before, a desperate attempt to communicate something inexplicable - it was an acknowledgement of the depths only they could traverse. It was a key to unlock a universe only they knew. It was a blinking light on the horizon only they could create.

It was sacred, it was powerful, and it was only ever theirs.

"Jace," she mumbled, his name a litany lost between them. " _Jace."_

And he said her name, and the world exploded around her head, a kaleidoscope of events that just so happened to lead them to each other. She didn't care who heard, who knew what they were doing - her heartbeat mixed with his drowned out everything beyond the touch of her skin.

Clary forgot how hopeless Jace had seemed. In fact, she'd never dwell on that broken plea of his again. Because right there, right then, they were a beacon of light in a smothering darkness, and there was nothing between them but _hope._

* * *

"Alexander."

It felt empty with no one to say it to. Magnus knew Alec preferred his name truncated - it was simpler, and he didn't like to complicate simple things. But Magnus couldn't bring himself to simplify his name, because that would be simplifying him - and Magnus would never even attempt to strip away the intricacies of Alexander. It would be almost sacrilegious.

"Alexander," he repeated, although his audience had not grown in size. Even though Magnus was lying alongside his boyfriend, the only one listening was himself.

He wished Alec was conscious. He wished it had never ended up this way, with his magic so empty that he couldn't even mend broken skin. Thankfully, the runes had done what they could, but the healing process would be long, slow, and undoubtedly painful.

That is, if his magic didn't recover first. He could think of no other way to describe it than like an animal - it ran around within him, fearless and impulsive, until it was hurt or scared. Then, it would disappear without a trace, giving no indication of when it would return. _What kind of animal is so independent, so apathetic?_ Magnus wondered. He scoffed to himself. _A cat._

But looking at Alec… that made the feline enchantment within him purr back to life. He had noticed that Chairman Meow used to scamper away when large crowds were near, but the second the path was clear and Magnus was alone, he'd saunter up to the warlock with all the confidence of a white man. The magic within him was a bit like that - it wasn't afraid when it was around others, not quite, but it was more inclined to return swiftly when Alec was involved.

In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he felt it in him. Magic was a constant thrum in his bones, a silent melody that never truly left him, but at this point in time was steadily building to a crescendo. It would return within a day or so, he imagined, and then - then, he'd properly heal Alexander.

But would Alec want that?

The doubt in his mind was quiet, but loud enough for him to pay it heed. He'd noticed in the past that although Alec was appreciative of his attention, he'd far sooner act for the good of them all than the good of himself. If Alec ever found out that Magnus had used the limited magic he had to heal him as opposed to getting them out of there… Alec had proven that he struggled to hold things against Magnus, but that wouldn't stop him from trying. It hurt him to see others hurt when simple things could alleviate their suffering.

And there it was again - that notion of simplicity. It seemed almost cruelly ironic, how simple things _should_ have been, where in reality their predicament was more complex than any spell Magnus had ever performed. For the past few days, he'd been carefully navigating a complicated world of human emotion, fault and… _humanity._ He couldn't handle any more complexity - and from what Alec had said on that morning, it seemed he was of the same opinion. The bond they'd formed was primal, it was basic, it was _simple -_ and that's what made it so special.

Magnus sighed, the last iteration of Alec's full name dying on his lips. Everything _was_ too complex, and although Magnus wasn't usually against that, he was tired of it.

Taking a deep breath, he tried again. "Alec."

* * *

Simon could hear Jace and Clary in their tent. It was kind of gross, he thought, to be so close to the two of them when they were clearly in their own world. It also made him feel kind of… pathetic, really, to know that whilst they were making out like the world was going to end, him and Izzy were sitting a few metres apart in silence.

It wasn't because they were mad at each other - not at all. It was because neither of them had anything to say. Simon was worried, almost sickeningly so, and he wanted to scream about how he felt until his voice was hoarse, but Isabelle's self-imposed silence let him know she wasn't in the mood for talking. That was okay though - he was fine just sitting there.

Fine… albeit a little bored.

He looked at the ground around him, but found nothing but dirt to distract him from the plaguing worry. Hmm. He looked at the trees around him, their branches gnarled from decades of undisturbed growth. He wished he could see something beautiful in them, something artistic, something _meaningful,_ but they… they were just trees. Nothing more, nothing less.

Trying not to show his increasing restlessness, he casually tilted his head upwards, surveying the full height of the torturous slope. It wasn't fair, had never been fair, but they were stuck with it.

And then -

A slight movement caught Simon's eye. He squinted, wishing his glasses weren't so dirty, but after a few seconds of concentration, he focussed on the moving object.

He couldn't believe it.

"Neville?"

If the rodent heard him, he didn't respond. He just carried about his business, clambering all over a thick branch in the tree above Simon. It _had_ to be Neville - there was no other animal that was so baldly disrespectful of human presence and so small at the same time.

"What was that?" Isabelle asked, breaking from her reverie.

"Neville, I think," Simon mused.

Isabelle barked a laugh in response. "Really? Where?"

"On that branch," he said.

"Which?"

"The big one, above the…"

He trailed off.

Eureka.

"What? What is it?"

"The branch… it's above the slope. Like… right above it."

"So?"  
"It's pretty thick, too."

Catching on, Izzy stumbled over to the bags, and combed through them until she found -

"Rope," she exclaimed, hoisting it into view.

"Will it be enough?" He asked, taking the coils in his fingers.

Using her frighteningly astute powers of observation, she nodded excitedly. "It… it looks like it'll be plenty." The smile fell from her face. "But how will the first person get up there?"

Simon thought for a second.

"Magnus. He may not be strong enough to get us all up there, but if he manages to get just one person - maybe Clary, because she'll be lightest - then we can get the rope over the branch and up to her so she can pull the rest of us up."

"Simon… you… you…" Whatever she was trying to articulate, she seemed to have given up, because without any warning she pulled Simon into a frantic kiss.

He was shocked at first, and expected it to be over as quickly as it happened, but the second their lips met, Izzy took her time. He felt himself melt in her arms.

The world seemed to stop until she finally released him. He felt like jelly, so helplessly in love with this angelic warrior. Noticing his shakiness, she laughed softly.

"Are you alright?"

"I… woah," he managed. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Well… you know what they say," she mumbled. He blushed. "It's the Lightwood motto: go big or go home."

* * *

"Magnus!"

Simon's sharpness took him aback. He propped himself up onto his elbows, one hand still in Alec's hair.

"We need your help."

"With what?"

"Are you… are you up to lifting one person out of here? Even if it's just Clary?"

Magnus paused. He wanted to say no, to save his recovering magic for Alexander. But he could hear Alec's voice in his head: _do it for the good of everyone._ And so he nodded.

Before Simon left to organise whatever he was planning, Magnus caught his anxious face break into a smile so pure it felt _warm._ Once he'd left, Magnus turned to Alec. He half expected him to be awake.

But he wasn't. He was still unconscious, as he had been when Magnus made that decision. With a start, he realised the voice in his head wasn't Alec's at all - it was his.

And so he stood up, took one last loving look at his boyfriend, and left his tent to go help the others.

* * *

Jace was undoing the last button on his shirt when Clary was yanked impatiently out of the tent. Although he'd been desperate for a solution to their problems earlier that day, Jace couldn't help but resent Simon's efficiency. Now, as he sat alone putting his clothes back on, he could hear Simon explaining to Clary what she needed to do. She seemed willing enough, and a tiny part of Jace took offence - what they had been caught up in was far more important than anything this realm had to offer.

And then he reflected on what he'd just thought, and almost laughed. God, he was useless when it came to her.

Once he was outside, his careless attitude became decidedly more sombre. There was an atmosphere of something happening, something monumental, something they had all been waiting for. It seemed that the elusive finish line was indeed in sight, then.

"Are you ready?"

Jace almost didn't recognise Simon's voice - he wasn't used to the mundane taking charge like this. His authoritative tone seemed to have taken more than Jace by surprise - Magnus' eyebrows inched upwards ever so slightly. Nevertheless, he nodded his consent. Looking to him, Clary did the same.

It was now or never.

Magnus walked to the foot of the slope, allowing the familiar thrum of magic to overtake him. By the time he was in position, the blue sparks were dancing across his fingertips of their own accord. Clary shot Jace a glance, one that reassured him that they'd finish what they had started in the tent once they got back home. He winked at her, and she laughed. It seemed strange, for her to be laughing in an atmosphere so tense, but she did nonetheless. Before Magnus faced away, Jace noticed that he was smirking too.

"Alright, biscuit, let's go."

The camp held its breath as Clary's feet slowly left the ground. Her ascent was gradual, but it showed no sign of faltering. She had her eyes squeezed shut, scrunching up her delicate face.

Finally, after a minute of heart-stopping levitation, Clary's feet landed firmly on the ground. At the top of the embankment.

Jace couldn't contain his 'whoop' of joy. His excitement was short-lived, however, as Magnus promptly collapsed to the ground.

Izzy rushed to his side, but he was already sitting himself upright. He waved away her attention, dismissing it as 'spending too little magic too fast'. Despite seeming like she didn't want to take that as an answer, Izzy let him be, and decided to go get Alec - he'd be one of the first transported up by rope.

By rope. Jace turned to Simon, who had the length of rope in his hands. He'd tied a large loop at the bottom, so the person ascending the slope could either put their foot in it as a support, or have it fastened around their waist to haul their body up. Catching Jace watching him, Simon grinned.

"Do you want to do the honours?"

"What?"

"Do you want to throw the rope up to Clary?"

"She's… she's going to pull us up by rope?"

"The rope will go over that branch," he corrected, indicating the correct bough. "That'll make it easier for her."

Jace took a step back, inspecting the branch. "I don't know… it's pretty high…"

"What do you mean?"

"Will we be able to get the rope up there?"

Simon froze. His features drooped noticeably. " _Shit._ "

"I've got Alec," Isabelle announced, holding her brother as if he were a damsel in distress, and she his knight in shining armour. It was impressive, Jace thought, that she managed to hold him off the ground despite his lankiness. "He says hey."

"He's awake?" Magnus mumbled.

She nodded, walking over to him. "And he's asking for you."

She lay her brother down next to the warlock, the two of them looking worse for wear.

"Hey, Magnus," Alec whispered, his voice hoarse.

"Hey, Alec."

"Alexander."

"What?"

"Alexander. I… I heard you before," he managed.

"Oh."

"I like it," he said simply.

"Huh. Well - hey, Alexander."

Alec didn't reply - he just smiled to himself.

Jace turned his attention back to Simon, who was still clutching the coiled rope in despair. "We may as well try and throw it, right?"

Jace shrugged, and took one end of the rope from him. With all the strength he could muster, he threw the rope upwards. It barely made it a few metres before gravity yanked it back to the ground.

"Shit," he muttered. Clary, from the top of the slope, was looking down in concern. If they couldn't get the rope up, it would mean that she'd have to go by herself to get help. The thought of her all alone on a busy road with no place to shelter set a lump in the pit of his stomach.

"Jace."

He barely heard the voice, because he was gathering the rope back up and trying once more to throw it over the branch. He was going to make it, goddamnit. For Clary.

 _"Jace."_

He flung the rope up, to no avail. He grunted in frustration.

"Why isn't this - "

"Jace!" It was Magnus' voice that got his attention. He turned to face the warlock, who was looking at him with disapproval.

"What?"  
"Are you deaf, or just plain inconsiderate?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Jace," Alec repeated for the third time, his quiet voice measured. The irritation Jace had felt dissipated.

"What's up, Alec?" He walked over to them and crouched before his parabatai.

Groaning, Alec reached to the ground beneath his head. Jace moved to stop him, to tell him not to hurt himself, but by the looks of things, Alec was recalling his hand now.

With something clenched in it.

"What…"

Alec slowly, ever so slowly, unfurled his fist to reveal, in his palm -

A rock.

A plain rock.

Jace could feel the confused glances from everyone else, and even though he had a niggling feeling that he should know what Alec was hinting at, he didn't. Sensing this, Alec scowled. His limited movement and speech clearly made it difficult for him to communicate a point.

Shifting slightly (and wincing along with the movement), Alec tried again. "Loophole…"

And it clicked.

"Alec Lightwood, you are a genius. A fucking genius," Jace laughed. "I… I could kiss you right now!"

"Don't," Magnus snapped. Alec grinned.

"What did Alec do?" asked Izzy, but Jace was already scouring the clearing for a suitable rock. He settled upon a brown, vaguely cubic rock about the size of a fist. Once he had that in hand, he began tying the end of the rope around the rock. Catching on, Simon let out a triumphant cry.

"Alec! You're smarter than you look!"

The grin faded quickly.

The rope tied firmly around its girth, Jace held the rock in one hand. "Take three?"

"Take three," Simon nodded. Clary looked mildly worried.

Jace lobbed the rock into the air, and it sailed clean over the branch -

And swiftly began its descent.

To where Clary was standing.

"Watch out!" Izzy called, but Clary had already scrambled to the other side of the road, and the projectile landed a metre or so away from her, rope still attached. Shaking her head, she collected it from the ground, testing the branch's strength as she pulled at the rope. With her holding one end and Simon holding the other, the bough seemed to be holding up when both of them tugged on it.

The real test, it seemed, would be whether it could support the weight of a person.

"Who first?"

The question echoed around the campsite - no one wanted to be the guinea pig, in case the rope - or the branch - broke. Sensing the other's apprehension, Simon raised a hand. "I'll do it - but frankly, I'm offended that you all doubt me that much."

Izzy shook her head, trying to diplomatically deny the allegations, but Jace shrugged as if to say, 'that's fair'.

"You're insufferable, Jace Herondale."

"Back at you, Simon Lewis."

And in a strange way, that was as close to a wish of good luck that Jace was going to give Simon. Izzy, however, was much more blatant with her affection.

"Be safe," she whispered.

"I mean, I'll try - it's in my best interest to - "

And she silenced him with a quick kiss. Once she pulled away, he grinned sleepily. "Um… yeah. Good."

Laughing at his fumbling response, Izzy gently pushed him in the direction of the rope. "Go on. We don't have all day."

And so he turned to the rope, which was now looking unhealthily thin. Taking a deep breath, he put his right foot in the loop he'd made and held on tight. Clary, her face set with stony resolve, gripped her end of the rope with all the concentration of a tightrope walker. Although neither realised it, they slowly exhaled at the same time, their hearts pounding in their ears.

"Now or never," Simon said, just loud enough for Clary to hear.

"Three… two… one."

And she began to pull. She hadn't realised how much Simon weighed until now, and she was instantly glad that it had been he who'd gone first - he was the shortest out of the remaining five, and the slightest, too. He'd weigh the least. Then, once he was up with her, he'd help her lift the rest of them.

That was, if he made it up.

The rope felt tight under her fingers, as if it were one strain away from snapping. It was a relatively thick rope - the fibres were braided together securely - but the ominous feeling in the pit of Clary's stomach didn't go away.

Simon wasn't feeling great either. He was less than a metre off the ground, and the rope was already swinging side to side, making a pendulum out of him. He found himself leaning to counteract the swing, but he knew if he leant too far, he'd risk losing his grip on the rope. His hands felt sweatier by the second, which wasn't comforting, as the only thing keeping him from falling to the ground was his grip - his grip, and his full weight supported by a loop tied with a dodgy knot.

"You're doing great, Clary," Jace called up. A part of Simon felt he deserved some recognition too - after all, he had the very difficult job of not passing out in terror. He glanced at his feet and instantly regretted it - the ground looked miles away.

"Hey Iz?"

"Yeah?"

"How far off the ground am I?"

"About two metres," she replied. "Maybe three."

"Oh." It seemed more than that, but then again, the further you were off the ground, the more exaggerated the height seemed.

Simon didn't hear Jace lean in to Izzy and say, "Your estimations are shit. He's at least eight metres up."

And Simon definitely didn't see Izzy wink.

No, Simon was focussed solely on the task at hand.

* * *

Clary was focussed, too. Her hands felt dangerously slick with sweat, but she couldn't afford to let go - not unless Simon had his feet on solid ground. Her arms were straining at the effort, but she knew that it would have been worse without the bough of the tree to simplify matters. At this point in time, the only thought running through her head was a mantra - _Don't drop Simon. Don't drop Simon._

She could hear the others talking, yelling, even, but she didn't focus on what they were saying. A tiny voice in her head, the voice that liked to play the devil's advocate, wondered if they were trying to warn her of something. The thought petrified her, and she paused her focus for a moment to listen to what they were saying.

"Keep it up, Clary. I've already died once. I don't fancy doing it again."

Simon. He sounded relatively close, but she didn't want to get too close to the edge in case the rope slipped due to the lack of tension. She wanted to snap something sarcastic back at him, but she found herself unable to speak from the strain of lifting him.

"I was just kidding, by the way. I don't think I'm going to die. I trust you."

Suddenly, she found herself in the same spot, about a week ago - where she and Simon had stood, rain pelting down, and contemplated jumping down to the others. He'd said, _"Of course I trust you, Clary. I always have, and I always will."_ And then, his trust in her had led to him winding up in this mess.

Now, his trust in her was getting him out of it.

Huh.

* * *

Simon looked down again and blanched. He made a mental note to stop doing that.

"How far now?"

"Less than two metres."

"What? Last time I checked, I was five metres off the ground. This slope is fifteen, at least."

"Actually, it's twenty," Jace piped in, "and Izzy's been lying to you. Give it a few seconds and you'll be able to reach up to the edge of the slope."

Simon didn't know whether to be mad or relieved. He didn't have the energy to be mad, so he went with the latter option.

"Thank God," he mumbled weakly. The edge of the slope was indeed in sight, and, as he inched higher, he saw Clary. Clary, soaked in sweat, her pale skin bright red with exertion, her eyes fierce and her features stony. Clary.

"I… I could probably take it from here," Simon said, looking at what was left to climb. "I could use my arms to haul me up."

Shaking her head, Clary yanked him up the next forty centimetres. Now, he was able to crawl onto the road - he did just that. The second his weight was off the rope, Clary sighed with relief. She let go of her end of the rope, and luckily, the part that had supported Simon stayed hanging where it was.

"Clary," Simon gasped, the feel of solid earth underneath him more comforting than he'd ever thought possible.

"Simon," she answered through a gulp of air. "Thank God."

"Thank you," he muttered, but he knew he didn't need to say it - she could tell how grateful he was. She could read him like a book.

* * *

They decided Magnus would go next. In his fragile state, he would have to sit in the loop at the end of the rope, but he'd be capable of holding on tightly enough to stay put. Before Jace helped him over to the rope, Magnus squeezed Alec's hand tightly. Alec, who was drifting out of consciousness again, returned a weak smile.

With both Simon and Clary manning the rope, it should have been easier, but both were weary from the previous exertion. However, they managed to haul Magnus up without him getting hurt - even if it did take twice as long as before.

Jace wanted to send Alec up next, but Isabelle refused. "Clary and Simon are getting tired - we could send Alec up now, but then they'd have to pull one of us up without any reinforcements. You should go next - then you can help bring up Alec and me."

"Iz, I - "

"Please, Jace - trust me on this."

He paused, searching her face for so much as a flicker of doubt. When she showed none, he conceded, taking his place on the rope. "Alright - are we ready?"

"Yeah," Clary called down, although she didn't feel ready at all. She needed a rest. Her arms were burning and her whole body felt slick with sweat. Simon looked as ruffled as her, but she knew he wouldn't ask for a break. Not out of nobility, or protecting his honour, but because he was afraid of looking like a wimp in a bunch of warriors.

It wasn't fair, thought Clary, that Simon still didn't feel strong enough to admit to being imperfect. She didn't know if he was among the strongest in the group - in fairness, it was a tough competition - but there was no doubt he was one of the strongest people she knew.

"Ready?"

It was Simon that asked it this time. His voice was low, intended only for her. As if he knew the answer she gave Jace was forced. Slowly, she nodded. "Are you?"

"Always."

Huh.

There was something in his eyes, something so convinced of his cause, that Clary wondered if she'd misjudged him. Her assessment wouldn't have been inaccurate a few days ago - in fact, it was probably most obvious back then. But seeing him now, this renewed confidence… perhaps he'd realise that he was equal to the warriors he used to fear.

And perhaps it wasn't shame, but _loyalty_ to these warriors that drove his persistence.

She didn't realise she was still staring at him until he raised his eyebrows. "Are we doing this, or what?"

Shaking free from her thoughts, she nodded once more - confidently this time. "Of course."

And so, with a renewed strength, the two of them hauled Jace up the embankment. As soon as the ledge was within arm's reach, he hauled himself up. Instead of thanking either of them, he took the rope from their hands, feeding it back over the branch so it would be low enough for Izzy to load Alec into.

"Go sit down with Magnus. Take a break."

"We're fine," Clary insisted, but Jace could tell her heart wasn't in it.

"No you're not. I mean - I wouldn't be. Not after hauling the weight of three people up a cliff in quick succession."

Whether or not this was true, Clary didn't know. Frankly, she didn't care. Jace had admitted to not being superhumanly strong - he only did that, only told the complete truth, when he was being sincere. When he was trying to persuade her to something for her own good. And so she sat down without a further word.

Simon still wanted to help, but Jace waved him away. He didn't deign to give Simon the same heartfelt pep talk as he did to Clary, but he did grumble, "you're redder than Clary's hair. Sit down."

Knowing better than to argue, Simon did.

* * *

Izzy didn't know why she'd felt so strongly about being the last one up. Perhaps because it meant carrying Alec over to the rope and tying him in - and who was she to ignore the symmetry of now and their arrival? Yes, she'd been holding _Magnus_ when they were the first to tumble down into this new adventure, but if that hadn't've happened, Alec wouldn't have leapt after them. If she hadn't have tripped, no one would be here.

Did she blame herself for their misfortune? No. She knew better than to pine away over something that she couldn't change.

But did she want to do all she could to right a wrong that was arguably hers? Of course. Endlessly.

By now, she'd secured the rope around his waist. It did feel inhumane, tying him up like this, but there was no alternative - he'd understand. He'd have to.

Kneeling over him, she looked at his face. Her big brother, so motionless, so still. Almost calm, in a terrible sort of way. She hated seeing him so lifeless. _It will all be over soon,_ she reminded herself, as if their wilderness experience had just been a nightmare she was destined to wake up from. It was true, though - it _would_ all be over soon. It had to be.

"Ready, Iz?"

She stole one last glance at his tranquil features. "Ready."

And the lifting began.

Jace had overestimated his strength. He knew Alec was heavy - he was tall, and though he was thin, he was broad and muscular - but it felt like he was hoisting up multiple Alecs, not just one. In fact, he had broken a sweat before he'd lifted Alec a metre off the ground.

There was no way in hell that that would stop him, though.

He persisted, yanking the rope bit by bit until his fingers were red and raw and his hair was matted to his forehead. Until the shapeless lump of Alec's hanging body appeared in sight and Simon and Clary rushed to him. Only once the rope slackened from Alec's weight being taken off it did Jace dare to loosen his grip.

What he'd said to Clary was right - he wouldn't have been able to do what she'd done, even with Simon helping him - his arms were already singing with pain. And now, as she was supporting Alec's legs as she and Simon carried him to where Magnus was, he discovered a whole new reason to admire her.

* * *

Half an hour had passed since they had started when Isabelle finally took her place on the lowered rope. She looked out over the clearing that they'd called home for the past week. It was familiar, in an alien way. She doubted that she'd be able to find her way back here from somewhere else, but for now, she felt as if she knew every tree, rock, and stray leaf. Their tents and belongings were still there - they'd decided to come back for them, preferably with a crew who could speed up the process, once they'd gotten the medical attention that Alec and Magnus needed. Ironically, Magnus had been the only one to oppose this procedure, as it would mean leaving his clothes behind, and he would rather suffer than let his clothes get any dirtier than they were.

Isabelle laughed to herself. Out of all of them, Magnus had been the only one to bother getting changed every day - some days, Isabelle hadn't changed out of pyjamas, or, even worse, had gone to sleep in her normal clothes and hadn't bothered to change them the next morning. She sighed. Once they were back in New York, she'd have to go back to a schedule - not necessarily a bad thing, but it was nice to have a break.

Although, she'd be lying if she said she didn't miss showers.

"Ready?"

Of course she was.

The world swayed beneath her feet as Jace, Clary and Simon hauled her up. She had never been afraid of heights, so seeing the ground get smaller as she jolted upwards didn't faze her. In fact, she was rather enjoying it.

She was musing about how unexpectedly successful Simon's contraption had been when she heard something that twisted her stomach into a knot.

 _Creak._

As if the tree was groaning, begging to be released from this arrangement. As if the branch was going to snap.

"Simon? Clary? Jace? Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

 _Creeeeak._

"Right. That. Um."

"How far from you am I?"

"No idea," was Simon's reassuring reply.

Trying again, she asked, "Does the branch look okay? Is it going to snap?"

"Uh…" a lethal pause. "No…?"

Well, shit. That wasn't good.

"Hey Iz - are you good at rock climbing?"

"Jace," she spoke, as if she were in the face of a furious beast that would go in for the kill if it detected fear, "don't joke."

"Unfortunately, I'm not joking."

Shit. Shit shit shit.

 _Creeeeeeeeeeak._

"What if I… what if you guys hold the rope still and I pull myself up? If I… I don't know, reverse abseil? Use my feet to almost walk up the embankment?"

 _Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeak._ And to finish it off, a slight _snap._

"Yeah. Do that. That sounds good."

She turned herself around, facing the wall and placing one foot on the dirt. She hadn't noticed how weak her legs felt until now. Breathing deeply, she tightened her grip on the rope and slowly, ever so slowly, inched the foot in the loop out of the rope and onto the wall. For a few terrifying seconds, she couldn't find the solid earth beneath her feet, and she clutched the rope tightly to her, praying that the sweatiness of her hands wouldn't be her death. Finally, however, she found her footing. She stood with the embankment almost parallel to her, praying that her idea would work.

And it would have to work quickly.

"Make sure the rope stays tense," she yelled, and she could only hope that the others had heard.

Her heart pounding in her ears, she took one step. That was easy - it was just readjusting her stance so one leg was higher. The real challenge was the next one.

"Start pulling, guys," she ordered, but she couldn't tell if they had obliged or not.

Her blood singing in her ears, she stepped.

And she didn't die.

Her confidence slowly blossoming, she took another step, her paces small but sure. The rope remained tense, and she was gathering ground faster than she had been before.

In fact, she'd almost forgotten that the branch was verging on snapping at all.

That is, of course, until -

 _Crack._

For a few horrific seconds, the world vanished around her as she fell. The others may have screamed - she wasn't entirely sure. She didn't care. She didn't want to waste the last few seconds of her life listening - she wanted to think.

But the thoughts and the air were knocked out of her when she slammed back into the embankment, as Clary, Jace and Simon held the rope securely.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she grunted, but she wasn't. Her arms felt even weaker than before, and she'd lost precious ground in that drop. She knew it'd be harder now for everyone - the others had to support her full weight constantly, and she'd have to work twice as hard. But there was no other option - they were halfway there.

"Okay… let's go," she called up.

"Okay," they replied.

And taking another deep breath, she put one foot in front of the other. Her legs ached, and she knew she'd have a bruise or two by tomorrow. But there was no 'go back' option, so she'd just have to deal with it.

Gradually, she climbed the slope, taking a painstakingly long time to cover frustratingly little ground. If this had been a training exercise, she might have considered giving up. She might have, just might have, asked to take a break. But she couldn't do that - this wasn't a training exercise. This was real life. And if she stopped climbing, if Jace, Clary or Simon let go, if _she_ let go, she'd get hurt. Badly.

* * *

Clary, Jace and Simon were all on the verge of tears, though they'd never admit it to the others. Their hands sang with intense pain from the rope burn they were forced to endure, and their arms were screaming from how tense they were kept. It wasn't that Isabelle was phenomenally heavy - she was lighter than Alec and Jace - but they were all so wearied from earlier activity that each tug was torture.

"Just a bit further," Jace grunted through gritted teeth. Clary hoped he was right.

* * *

Isabelle had stumbled only once on her journey up, which would impress her later (right now, she was too focussed on not dying to marvel at how close she'd come). Her rigid steps, her preternaturally tight grip - she was like a machine. She'd stopped thinking about the alternatives to making it to the top a long time ago - in fact, she'd stopped thinking at all.

But when the seemingly infinite dirt wall ended and she saw Jace, Clary and Simon on the other end of her rope, relief rushed through her. Her next step - her final step - was much larger than the others had been as she used whatever strength she could salvage to push herself onto solid, horizontal land.

And she lay there, sprawled out, rope still gripped tightly in one hand, until she felt Clary's hands gently shaking her to check if she was okay.

"I'm fine," she rasped. Was she? Not really. But then again, she wasn't dead. And that was really all she could ask for.

"We… we need to get out of here," Simon said. "Come on - we're so close, guys."

"We should wait until Izzy's okay, at least - "

Jace didn't get to finish his sentence, because Izzy was slowly but surely getting to her feet. Her arms and legs felt like jelly, threatening to give way, and her head spun, but she straightened herself up, looking him in the eye, and raised an eyebrow. She caught Simon's proud grin and arched her eyebrow higher.

"My bad," Jace apologised. She knew he knew she wasn't okay. He wasn't okay either. But he also knew that there was nothing that could stop Izzy from going home right now - not even him.

And so they began their weary journey. Izzy walked on her own, refusing the offer of a shoulder to lean on, and in turn having her own offer of supporting Alec or Magnus refused. Jace and Simon took Alec, each with one of his arms draped over their shoulders. His height meant his feet were dragging on the ground, but yet again they figured that in the scheme of things, Alec wouldn't mind. Before long, however, he sparked to life, asking to talk to Izzy. When she leant in, he whispered something that brought tears to her eyes.

Though he couldn't muster the energy to walk, he could keep his head upright and kept thanking Simon and Jace profusely. Simon had been accepting the thanks, and in turn thanking Alec for his idea with the rock, but Jace simply muttered, "Don't thank us yet."

Clary was left to support Magnus, who initially didn't want help. His decision was swiftly overturned, however, when he tried to walk and couldn't make it a few steps without feeling dizzy. So, Clary found herself with her arm around him, gently guiding him forward. Rather unusually, Magnus was quiet for most of the journey. In fact, the only thing he could bring himself to say was: "Thanks, biscuit."

They trudged along in relative silence until Izzy, who was leading their parade of misery, stopped in her tracks.

"Do you hear that?"

Clary paused, straining her ears.

Yes. She heard it.

The crunch of dirt under wheels.

Wheels.

A car.

The sky was darkening, but there was enough light yet for them to not fear getting hit. It didn't seem like the car was moving fast, either, so instead of scattering, they stopped. And waited.

After the car rounded the corner, it slowed to a halt about a metre from Izzy. She stood her ground. The windows were tinted so they couldn't see inside, but she could see the logo of the campgrounds they had intended to stay at on the bonnet of the car.

A door opened - the passenger side. The six of them stood, still as statues, as the passenger climbed out.

Clary was crying as soon as she saw the red hair.

"Mum?"  
"Clary!"

Magnus shifted his weight so Clary could let go of him and run towards Jocelyn, both their arms outstretched. Clary couldn't care less about the pain that reverberated through her, the screeching ache of her arms - she couldn't care less about anything.

* * *

Jocelyn was crying, too. These past few days, she'd done a lot of it. But she was not crying now out of sorrow - she was crying out of joy.

Clary was alive.

They were all alive.

And when her daughter collapsed into her, her tiny frame heaving with joyful sobs, she offered a silent prayer to whoever was listening.

 _Thank God. Thank the Angels. Thank the Universe. Thank anything and everything._

* * *

When Luke stepped out of the car, he felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. His first instinct was to hug Clary, but upon seeing the others, how sore, bedraggled, dishevelled they seemed - he couldn't stand it.

"Isabelle," he whispered. And although they'd never been particularly close, she crumpled into his hug without any resistance. Together, they walked to the others, and only now did Luke realise that Alec was being held up by Jace and Simon. Letting Izzy go, he rushed to take the weight from the two boys, scooping Alec up and holding him in his arms.

"What happened?"

"He had a nasty fall," was all Simon could mumble before he flung himself upon Luke in a ravenous embrace. God, these poor children.

Jace nodded curtly at him, which Luke took to mean he didn't want a hug, so he turned his attention to Magnus. Magnus smiled wearily. Not knowing how to comfort him, Luke busied himself by carrying Alec back to the car.

It was only as he was opening the car door that he realised how remarkably light the shadowhunter was. Luke knew they wouldn't have been feasting like kings at all, but to lose _that_ much weight? It was impossible, particularly as Alec hadn't changed all that much physically. How, then, was he so weightless?

Once he'd placed him carefully in the back seat, Luke looked up to find Magnus watching them. Magnus. Of course. Luke offered him a grateful nod, which Magnus returned with sincerity.

The mundane police officers had already begun questioning the others, but it was clear they were too tired to speak. They were ushered into the car that Jocelyn and Luke had arrived in, as well as others that had entered the scene loaded with paramedics and police. The last people to clamber into cars were Jocelyn and Clary, who were still hugging tightly.

"I missed you, mum," was all Clary could manage.

"I missed you too. So, so much."


	16. Epilogue

Soon enough, the media lost interest. Thanks to some of what Jace referred to as 'creative truth-telling', they were soon dismissed as confused teenagers who made it through a week in the woods on a fluke. After retrieving their belongings (courtesy of the fire department) and doing a few television interviews that mysteriously never aired (Magnus still has the camera's SD card, and watches the footage over every so often when he needs a laugh), they were free to go home.

Alec and Magnus had recovered in record time. Magnus slept in the campground infirmary for a whole day, and, once his magic was back to normal, cured Alec almost instantly. The paramedics who had been tending to them were amazed, but didn't ask questions - thanks to some glamours that Izzy had surreptitiously applied to Alec, they realised that the initial break hadn't been anywhere near as bad as they'd thought. Thank goodness Luke and Jocelyn had talked them out of going to a hospital.

* * *

The first thing that Izzy did upon arriving back in New York was have a bath. A really long bath. In fact, her first bath lasted for over an hour before Jace 'encouraged' her to get out by threatening to throw out her make up. Her next bath, taken two hours later, only lasted half as long. In fact, within the first two days of being back, she'd taken a grand total of five baths. She claimed she could still feel dirt on her, but in reality, she was just enjoying having alone time - something she'd had none of for the entire duration of their stay in the wild. Also, she _did_ still feel dirty. Somehow, mud had gotten _everywhere._

Jace, in one of his protests about how much hot water Izzy was using, demanded to know why she took so long. What could she possibly be doing? Izzy winked and told him it was "girl stuff", which effectively terminated his interrogations. She didn't actually know what "girl stuff" was, but she was fairly certain that she wasn't doing it. Really, she would spend ages sitting there and thinking. Sometimes she thought about Simon, about how cautious he was when it came to her. Sometimes her thoughts wandered to Magnus, to how they both had to 'share', and to how well he coped with it. But mostly, her thoughts revolved around what Alec had whispered to her that afternoon - what he'd said after she made it to the top of the slope. Just three words - "you did it." And those three words still made her heart skip a beat, because _she did it._ She _had_ done it. He'd doubted her, and she'd proved him wrong. Isabelle regretted ever having slipped, ever having caused the struggle they endured - but at the same time, part of her wouldn't have taken it back if she'd been given the chance.

* * *

Clary was having a phenomenal time 'recovering'. Even though the worst injury she'd suffered was rope burn, Jocelyn insisted upon fussing over her, bringing her food in bed and exempting her from chores. It wasn't like she was manipulating her mum - she'd said multiple times that she was fine - but Jocelyn wouldn't let up. Eventually, Luke had to persuade Clary to let her do as she wanted - "It'll be good for your mother," he reasoned, "and it's not as if you're not having fun."

Simon spent as much time as he could with Clary. Clary would have liked to think that it was because he loved spending time with her, but she knew that whenever Simon was around, Jocelyn fussed over him, too, and Simon seemed to enjoy that more than she did. Despite being in such close confines with everyone for so long, Simon seemed to be the only one who still enjoyed the others' company. Clary didn't mind having him around sometimes, but after his eighth visit in two days, she pretended to be asleep (that didn't particularly bother Simon - Jocelyn invited him in for freshly-baked cookies nonetheless).

Clary had only seen Jace once since they'd gotten back - they'd been at the Institute, in the training room. Instead of training, they were picking up where they'd left off - Clary had barely said 'hello' to Jace before he asked, rather abruptly, "Can we get back to making out now?"

They had, and Clary couldn't say she wasn't enjoying it. They'd been alone for almost three hours before Alec had stumbled in, gathering his weapons to take to Magnus' - _his_ \- apartment. Although he'd been profusely apologetic and practically leaped out the door, the mood was lost. They had talked until Jocelyn called and asked her to come home so she could sample a new brownie recipe. Clary had promised to bring Jace some the next time she saw him, but promptly forgot that and ate them all with Jocelyn and Luke in one sitting. She knew Jace wouldn't mind, though - not if he was… preoccupied. Preoccupied with kissing her.

* * *

Alec had indeed moved in with Magnus, and it was working better than either of them had hoped. Apart from a few small habits they'd both have to kick (including but not limited to: Magnus' tendency to leave things lying around the house, Alec's propensity to throw out things that _he_ thought were unimportant, both of their very different styles of organisation), they got along well. The first night that Alec had slept there, they'd shuffled the furniture so they could sleep on the floor - "for old time's sake," Magnus had claimed. Then, Magnus had charmed the ceiling to look like the night sky. They lay there, side by side, for almost an hour before they both agree that the floor was unnecessarily uncomfortable and lay in the bed instead.

Magnus made good on his promise to introduce Alec to Beyoncé. Though he was hesitant at first, Alec did indeed listen to most of her songs. From old -

"Trying to make us three from that two?"

"Hmm?"

"Is she… is she trying to clone him? To duplicate him somehow? _Is_ she a warlock?"

"She's… Alexander, she's talking about having a child."

"Oh."

\- to new -

"So, what did you think?"

"Um… I think the title's misleading."

"Why?"

"Well, you'd think a song called 'Don't Hurt Yourself' would be about encouraging safety."

"And?"

"… I think whoever that song was written about has never been less safe in their life."

\- Magnus shared the wondrous works of Beyoncé with his boyfriend. He thought he'd achieved success when Alec hummed along to 'Crazy In Love', but that seemed like nothing compared to when he walked in on Alec vacuuming and singing 'Partition'. Feeling a sudden rush of affection towards the awkward shadowhunter, Magnus spontaneously decided to teach Alec the 'Single Ladies' dance.

Now _that_ was an experience that neither Alec or Magnus would ever forget.

* * *

One promise that _hadn't_ been made good on was Simon's decision to have a Lord of the Rings marathon. He'd messaged everyone a few dates so far, on which they could all get together and watch all 20 hours and 30 minutes of the six films. Unfortunately, all of the dates Simon had suggested coincided with what Jace described as 'important Shadowhunter business' that would prevent he and Alec from coming. An hour or so after that message was sent, Jace amended it to 'important Shadowhunter _and warlock_ business,' conveniently exempting Magnus from it as well.

Simon wasn't disheartened, though - Isabelle and Clary had agreed (albeit reluctantly) to marathon the movies with him, which left Jace to either spend those twenty hours alone or third-wheeling Alec and Magnus. Simon didn't have anything against Jace, but he still considered this outcome a victory. He could picture Jace shaking his head now, and, not for the first time, deigning to concede: _Touché._

* * *

Now, they sat around a table in Java Jones. Seeing as if wasn't really built for large functions, they'd had to assemble four smaller tables (three square and one circular) to accommodate their party - as well as a mishmash of chairs. It was the first time all eight of them had been out together in public since they'd gotten back, and Jocelyn would have been lying if she'd said she wasn't nervous. Even though the footage of their interviews had disappeared, she knew a few online articles had been written about the case. Even though it was impossible, Jocelyn was nervous that they'd be recognised - that more attention would be drawn to the weary pack of travellers.

It was strange - they all looked so familiar, so wonderfully familiar, but at the same time, she could tell things had changed. It wasn't just the dirt, the bumps and bruises - some things had changed that she just couldn't put a finger on.

It was true - things _had_ changed, even if she couldn't describe them. For instance, Simon stood a little taller. Instead of thinking of himself as a mundane in a group of shadowhunters, he now thought of himself as, simply, 'one of them'. Not 'one of the shadowhunters' - 'one of them.' Maybe he wasn't runed, or super strong, or super attractive (depending on who you asked, of course) - but that wasn't what made him similar to the others. It was his loyalty, his bravery, his quick thinking. It was his selflessness, his determination. So what if he was a little on the scrawny side? So what if he preferred _Mortal Kombat_ to actual combat? The week in the wilderness had proven that he was just as brave as any of them, and just as willing to use what he had to do good. And so he stood taller, he held eye contact for longer, because he was _Simon freaking Lewis_ , and he had indeed come, saw, and kicked its ass.

Sitting next to him, Izzy was smiling softly. She'd changed, too. She'd initially been afraid of looking weak, of her image of strength looking lacklustre. But she'd been through a lot - sprained ankles, fevers, metaphorical punches to her emotional state. And whenever she'd tried to look brave, she'd ended up looking weak. When she'd stormed away from Alec and refused to face him, she hadn't looked strong. She'd seemed afraid. When she'd insisted on carrying Magnus, it didn't show her independence, it showed she was afraid of looking dependent. It would be unfair to say she wasn't brave - in fact, it'd be wholly untrue. But her bravery, her strength, wasn't shown through acts of bravado - it was shown when she spoke her mind, when she prioritised finding Simon over her own health, when she used every ounce of strength within her to climb to safety. She was strongest when she felt the weakest.

Next to her was Jace, who was laughing at something Simon had said. A genuine laugh, not a sarcastic one. He didn't have it in him to act spitefully to Simon right now - not when they were being civil like this. It was strange - before they'd left, Jace wouldn't have considered giving Simon a break. He would have kept up the 24/7 snark schedule. But now… he understood things a little better. Jace had been raised thinking that emotions were a sign of weakness, but he knew otherwise now. He had for a while. But being in the wild, seeing how easy it was to ruin or make someone's day, he knew that emotions weren't weaknesses or strengths - they were a part of life. And no matter how hard you tried to act as if they weren't, your emotions were still so deeply embedded in you that you follow them, consciously or not. Clary acted emotionally when she hid the GPS from everybody. Simon acted emotionally when he hit Jace. Izzy acted emotionally when she'd insisted on carrying Magnus. _He'd_ acted emotionally when he'd snapped at people, pushed Alec to do stupid things, ignored Clary for over a day. No one was capable of ignoring how they felt, even if they wanted to. So Jace decided not to snap at Simon, not to keep up his nonchalant facade, and to allow himself to listen to his feelings. To show how much he cared.

Alec sat opposite Jace, listening contently to the conversation. It was strange - up until recently, being the oldest of his siblings had meant he was the responsible one. He had never felt _older,_ just like he had more responsibility than the others. In a way, it was because he'd never had the confidence to consider himself anything but the absolute equal of Jace and Izzy. Perhaps being older didn't make him any different to them, but perhaps it made him more of his own person than he'd thought he was. He remembered how good it felt to stand up to Jace and Simon when they were being ridiculous, how good it felt to be listened to - not just because of the responsibility he had, but because what he was saying was worth listening to. And when he recalled those nights with Magnus, he couldn't think of a time that he'd felt more _worth something._ If he was worth Magnus' love, he was worth the world. So he sat there, listening to what was happening, not giving a damn about what the others were doing and whether or not he should do it to - no, he knew he could do so much more than follow their lead blindly, because he was worth the moon and the stars, and so long as he listened to himself, he could do no wrong.

Magnus sat next to him and stole quick glances in his direction whenever he could. There was something about Alexander, something different than before, and Magnus found himself infatuated all over again. It had been a big step to ask him to live with him, but it had felt so _right -_ when Alec had risked his life to save Magnus, he'd known that if he didn't allow himself to get close to Alec, he'd never forgive himself. Screw his fears of growing old without him - if he didn't live for himself now, he'd live forever regretting just that. He'd seen just how quickly things could change - be it Alec being washed down a river, or Alec falling off a small cliff, or Alec finding out he had magic back and refusing to speak to him. Mortals were fickle. But at the same time, he'd seen how Alec had slowly opened up, revealing his most embarrassing crush. He'd seen Alec laugh and smile and become someone new. And then, he and Alexander had spent so many nights in each other's arms that he could still feel the impression that he left. Perhaps mortals _were_ fickle, but they were also reliable. And that little fact took the edge off of the daunting void of eternity that Magnus didn't want to face.

And next to Magnus was Clary. Clary, who now spoke boldly in reply to a comment Simon had made. Clary, whose eyes now lit up as she engaged in a debate. She'd changed most of all. From the first day that she'd discovered that GPS, she'd taken on a weight that she'd been afraid to share. When Magnus had found out, she'd felt the world sway underneath her. Keeping it together had been a struggle that she'd very nearly lost. But once it had all fallen to pieces, even once Jace had stormed off and everyone averted their gazes out of pity, she'd learnt something that she couldn't have learnt any other way. She'd learnt how to pick up the pieces and put them back together. She'd learnt that maybe, the strongest thing she could do was not to refuse allegations and remain stoic, but instead to accept what she'd done was wrong and try and make amends. She'd learnt that perhaps, her decisions _weren't_ always right, but sometimes, they were. And most importantly of all, she'd learnt that no matter how badly she screwed up, the friends she had would be willing to forgive her if only she worked for it. And so even though she'd fought monsters, escaped demon realms, killed people and nearly died herself, she'd found strength in making a simple mistake. A strength that now held her up on its shoulders, tying her to the others.

Jocelyn and Luke observed the children with rapt interest. They had hardly been recognisable when they'd first been discovered. But now… some things _had_ changed. Maybe not for worse, or for better, but the events of that week had been irreversible. And perhaps, just perhaps, that wasn't a bad thing.

A waitress came to take their orders. She wrote down every single item without comment, and only once she had finished did she say, "You've ordered yourself a feast."

The table laughed - of course they had. After returning, their appetites had been insatiable - Simon had indeed gone to McDonald's and fulfilled his wish that he'd made earlier - a vegetarian burger, large fries and a large lemonade. Magnus had joined him, though only briefly - Alec had called halfway through their outing to say that he'd tripped over a chest and it had spilt, and the contents of it seemed to be running away from him, so could Magnus _please come home and help him catch it?_

The waitress smiled, her face aglow, and so refreshingly _normal._ Clary had almost given up on normal.

"Celebrating, are we?"

A pause. Were they celebrating? Strangely, it was Simon who spoke up.

"Yeah."

A further pause, in which the waitress waited for him to explain _what_ they were celebrating. All the others had turned to him too, curiosity getting the better of them as they waited to find out what he'd say.

His eyes flicked to Clary, uncertainty as plain as day on his face. He hadn't expected to explain his answer - that much was clear. Smiling, she raised her eyebrows slightly, prompting him.

After a pause that was almost too long to be comfortable, he said, "We're… we're celebrating… being here."

Clary's eyes crinkled, and the atmosphere softened in a kind of unspoken agreement. The waitress, clearly missing a layer of meaning, nodded as she collected their menus. "Well, that's as good a reason to celebrate as any."

Their conversation returned to a happy level of normality, discussing memories and politics and weather. Clary caught Simon's eye once, and his warm smile filled her with an inexplicable sense of wonder.

The food came, the waitress beaming as she left with a cheery, "enjoy your meal!". Despite being ravenous, Isabelle cleared her throat and raised her glass of coke. Following her lead, everyone did the same, waiting with their arms suspended for someone to say something.

Finally, Luke spoke up. "To being here."

Clary remembered what her mother had told her, had told all of them - that camping would be good for them. Things hadn't exactly gone the way she'd envisaged, but perhaps Jocelyn had been right. Perhaps it _was_ good for them.

"To being here," she echoed.

And they ate, smiles and laughs echoing around the table, wearied eyes seeing the world anew. They were there, with each other, and they couldn't be happier.

They were _there._

* * *

 **Hey guys!**

 **I just wanted to say one big final thank you for reading this fic. Your continual support has meant so much to me! I know there are a few instances in which I took artistic liberty, so I know that perhaps this storyline hasn't been for everyone, but there are still so many people who have gone out of their way to make my day that little bit brighter and tell me they enjoyed my work. I hope you have gotten the same joy out of reading what I've written that I have out of reading your reviews.**

 **I'd also like to take this opportunity to point out how much I love the Mortal Instruments, and how much I'd love to write another fic revolving around these characters - I'm not sure if it would be a spin-off of this or an entirely different story, but if you have any ideas that you want to see in a fic, please PM me or leave a review to let me know. I'm always excited to try and bring a whole new dimension to the characters that I know and love so much.**

 **So yet again, thank you all so very much for how positive your response to this fic has been, and I hope that you're happy with how it unfolded. Your support has been amazing.**

 **Have an** ** _extraordinarily_** **wonderful day,**

 **\- The Potterhead from Middle Earth xxx**


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